I Will Have You
by relentlesslybrash
Summary: First visiting her in her dreams, Draco reaches out to his mate, Hermione. However, it will take more than a few shared dreams to convince her that she is his mate. If she does not accept the bond willingly, laws protecting Veela will be used to seal it.
1. Chapter 1

Prolog; Draco

He wasn't sure when the attraction had set in; when both the human and the veela agreed that she would be the one. It could have been when she slapped him that one day during their third year, or when he had saw the Krum boy following her around during the Tri-Wizard Tournament. Maybe it had happened before that, on the train headed to Hogwarts for the first time when she had stood up to him for the Longbottom boy. All Draco Malfoy knew for certain was that Hermione Granger was his mate. Now that the war was over there was nothing standing in his way to get her, old laws could easily be enacted to ensure that she would be his. Of course that would only be if he could not manage to make her his with his own charm. With only months until his birthday he would have to move fast if he wanted her to come to him on her own, the veela in him had told him countless times though that it would not matter either way. Once consummated she wouldn't be able to leave them, and soon after that she wouldn't want to.

Chapter One; Hermione

The war was over. There were so many dead. Fred Weasly. Remus and Dora Lupin. Her parents. No person did not have a friend or family member that had been killed on either side of the war. It was hard to find pity for those who had fought for the dark, until Voldimort had been killed their loses had been slight. It was only when Death Eaters were being rounded up for trial that their death rate shot up. Apparently many would rather die than face imprisonment in Azkaban.

Placing the flowers on the joint grave Hermione got to her feet, wiping away the cold tears that were slipping steadily down both of her cheeks. Her father's ring sat on her left thumb, her mother's solitaire resting above her heart on a simple chain around her neck. Despite the fact that her parent's bodies had been mutilated beyond recognition both of their wedding bands had been untouched. She hoped that they wouldn't mind that the daughter they didn't remember had decided to keep them, rather than have them buried with their bodies. Hermione liked to think that they would have preferred it had she been able to ask. This was her first time coming to their graves since the funeral where she had broke down into sobs, Harry holding her tightly when she thought that she would fall.

Looking back now she could already see the signs of Ron pulling away from both of them. He wanted to forget all the suffering of the wizarding world and had been unable to properly deal with the loss of Fred and Percy. Not a week after the funeral Ron had packed up his bags, leaving to stay with Charlie on the dragon reservation. He still wrote his mum, ignoring letters that came from anyone else. Charlie had wrote the family a letter saying that Ron was doing better away from everyone, that he seemed to take to dragon keeping pretty well and that he would not be returning anytime soon. Bill had started working with George, trying to keep his spirits up and Weasly's Wizard Wheezes from falling to shambles. It seemed to be working pretty well too. It had been seamless how George and Bill had filled the empty space left by Ron. Over the last few weeks everyone seemed to be doing better, even Hermione though at times she felt left behind in the healing.

Hermione jumped when she felt a hand on her shoulder, a second latter she realized that it was only Harry.

"It will get better Mione, I know it seems like it won't but I promise that it does." Harry's words didn't mean as much and the hug and understanding look in his eyes. She had been told many times that things would get better. However, coming from Harry she could almost believe it.

Nodding her head she wiped away the last of her slow tears, "Can we go home? Ginny is likely waiting for you." Holding her tightly as a brother would Harry apperated them back to Grimauld Place, the stomach quenching feeling not seeming to affect her. Climbing up the stairs she fell into bed, still wearing her slicker and boots. In seconds she was asleep.

For once she was not plagued with the images of the dead, their pleading looks and cries for help. Instead she was in a garden, greener than what it should be for the mid spring season, dressed in a soft white cotton dress and swinging on an old wooden swing. Someone was behind her, pushing her higher and higher into the air, but she wasn't scared in the least. Every time she tried to turn to see who it was the person stepped out of her line of sight, chuckling lowly when she huffed indignantly.

"Who are you and where am I?" In the dream her voice was not worn and tired, hoarse from screaming throughout the night.

"You aren't ready to know that yet, love. Just enjoy it." There were warm notes in his tone and she did not recognize the stranger's voice. As he pushed her again his hands lingered on her hips, seeming reluctant to let her go.

"It's my dream, I think I have a right to know."

He laughed again, "Of course you do, but that does not mean I am going to tell you. This is both of our dreams right now, and I rather enjoy the way your hair seems to come alive when you get frustrated." Hermione twisted her body more sharply than before, determined to catch a glimpse of who the man was. Instead she fell out of the swing, waking safely in her own bed.

Looking around her room with a start she relaxed when she realized that she was alone. Slipping from the bed she unzipped her coat hanging it over the chair that sat at her desk. Then pulling off her boots, muggle jeans and socks she turned back the covers on the bed. It had been an odd dream, one Hermione chalked up to falling asleep fully dressed. Now that she was in an old t-shirt of Harry's and underwear though she would be able to comfortably sleep.

That's the first chapter then, I don't really have a posting schedule yet but I hope for it to be once a week. This is a Draco/Hermione story in which Draco is a veela, it may get dark and I fully expect Draco to be controlling and possessive. That being said if you can't handle any of the above don't bother reading anymore chapters and make use of the filters to sort out pairing that you don't like. I would also like a Beta, one that is fast would be preferable, and if you are/can/ know one please let me know.

Thanks, Sam


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two: Draco

Smirking he sat up knowing that somewhere in her room she was likely doing the same thing. The initial contact had gone far better than he had thought it would and he had managed to keep enough control so as not to get too grabby with her, even in the dream world though there was something so right about holding her hips between his hands. Walking over to his desk he paused part way to look in the mirror.

The change had left him a few inches taller, broader across the chest and with muscles that were more defined than they had been before. His hair was a little longer too, but that was his doing. Potter and Weasel had sported long hair all through Hogwarts and he figured that Hermione was both used to it and, likely, preferred it. If she didn't he could always cut it anyway.

Sitting at his desk he read over the letter that his father's owl had dropped off a few hours ago. The laws stated that once identified as a mate of a magical being whose well being was directly affected by the mating said mate would have no choice but to accept the bond. It was a law that she would find archaic to say the least, no matter that mates would always be well taken care of and that it would make her happier in the end. There was a time when he had questioned why the law would ever need to be made but the history lesson and now his own experience made it abundantly clear. If a mate were to come from an over protective or enemy family laws like this would be necessary to ensure that the bond was completed.

Pulling forward ink, parchment and a quill Draco wrote:

_Father,_

_I expect that this reaches you and mother well, I can only imagine Greece's coast is warm, sunny and lovely this time of year. I have made the first contact with her; it went well considering that I did not identify myself to her. You and mother both have made it clear that you think there is no point in trying to avoid using the Mate Law, but I think that I after tonight I stand a chance. Hermione does not like to be forced into anything and that law would only make her resentful to all of us. I plan on "running" into her tomorrow at Hogwarts after her interview with the Headmistress. I hope to see you soon._

_Love, Draco_

Whistling for his own owl he tied the letter to her feet and offered her a treat before sending her off into the night.

()()()()()

His sleep had been a fitful one plagued with the fears of something happening to his mate while he could do nothing. Unsurprisingly they had centered on his mad aunt torturing her with cruicios and then carving her up with a sharp, silver knife. The curtains had been pulled open by one of the house elves and the light filtering in told him that it was close to noon and that if he wanted to see Hermione that he had better get up.

Taking a long shower to calm both the human and the veela Draco scrubbed his body with the movements of a man whose mind was far away. To his count he had roughly six months to complete the bond, of those he was willing to wait three and a half to four depending on his mate's attitude before resorting to enacting the Mate Law. The closer to his 17th birthday he waited to complete the bond the higher the chances that he would either get sick or go feral with the want of his mate. Honestly he doubted that she would come close to letting him die once she was able to accept the circumstances though. After all his mate was one third of the Golden Trio; the one with the biggest heart and brains.

Drying himself with one of the thick fluffy Slytherin green towels that were kept in all of the manors bathrooms he then wrapped it around his hips confidently moving to his large closet. Looking in it he made note that it would need to be expanded to fit Mione's things as well, and that he might want to reconsider the color scheme of what would be their suite. Deciding to switch from his normal green themed fitted day robes to the steel gray set his mother had once picked out for him he got dressed, not bothering to fix his mussed hair.

Two pieces of toast and a glass of pumpkin juice latter he apparated to the gate outside Hogwarts.

()()()()()

He strode through the corridors ignoring the whispers that seemed to follow him, wishing that his god father would appear from nowhere like he once did to silence the increasingly rowdy students. Though he was largely ignoring the students he couldn't help but hear the group of seventh year boys talking a few feet away.

"-my mum says she has the job in the bag; she's supposed to be the best defense teacher in seven years, and the only qualified one in three."

"Who cares, I saw her walking up to the Headmistresses office. And she looks a far cry better than any of the other old hags they hire around here, only a year older than us too. Why I bet anyone one of us could have a go at her-" Draco had the boy pinned against the stone wall before he could blink, his eyes a burning black. There was only one person who fit that description. He would know, after all it was his mate. His.

"I don't want to ever here you talk about her that way again. She is mine. You tell that to all of your friends. If you talk about her that way again, I will kill you. That goes for everyone. Understand?" The boy let out a whimper nodding his head as his friends scattered. Draco let him fall to the floor and walked away.

He hadn't yet realized that his mate had her own fan base, even though he should not have had to think so much about it. He would simply have to scare them all away, after the first couple surely they would realize that she was his? There were laws to protect those who thought their claims had been challenged, it would be very simple to get rid of what competition he had for her attentions.

Draco had been so focused on the ways that he could maim, kill and other wise deter the male population from approaching Hermione that he almost missed her walking to the great all for a late lunch. He was just on time even with the little detour with the nameless boys. He could tell from her proud, confident step that she had gotten the job as Hogwarts new Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor. He wondered if she had been told that he was the newly appointed Potions Professor.

He had planned on stepping up this week and had hoped that she would do the same. It would make pursuing her so much easier if they worked and lived together.

()()()()()

I know that its not much longer than the last one but I'm building myself up to it. I plan on alternating every chapter but it could change and don't expect updates to be so close together either. They'll come when I can get them up. I am still in need of a beta so please let me know if you can or know of one.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Hermione

She was running late. After waking in the middle of the night she fell into a deep slumber that refused to be broken by the annoying siren of her alarm. It was only around 10, and two minutand after Hares after Harry got up, that she was brought back to the world of the living. One look at the clock and she was in a mad dash to make her appointment with Professor McGonagall;, she refused to be late for her first, last and only and last chance at a teaching position at the school that had been her second home. A quick shower and three drying charms later -, it took that many to completely dry her thick hair -, and she was out the door in a flurry of burgundy robes.

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Though any one of her friends would have told her she had it in the bag, Hermione was simultaneously relived and ecstatic that she had gotten the job as Hogwarts new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. She had arrived to her 11 o'clock appointment one minute early; running both of her hands over her slightly wrinkled robes too greeat a serious Headmistress in her office. It took Professor McGonagall 45 minutes to put her out of her misery and 46 to tell her that calling her Minerva would suffice.

"Dear, I don't know why you would ever doubt your own credentials; your exceptionalr exlimplaerly marks alone would have gotten you the job but with all of your practical experience it would take a fool to turn you down. Don't think I haven't heard the rumors that Beauxbaeuttons and Salem Witches' Institute both offered you positions at their schools." Though brisk, Minerva's voice held an affection and warmth for her star pupil; as well as a hint of scolding for, once again, doubting herself. Hermione had been upfront with her about the post traumatic stress syndrome and the bouts of depression that she had been dealing with in the after math of the war, something that the Headmistress assured her that they would be able to work with.

"Neither school had the prestige that Hogwarts does and the only offer was theit was only the American school that offered., Madame Maxine would not consider me as I am not… soft enough for her precious girls." If Hermione disagreed with what the brilliant one time Transfiguration professor said, she did not say.

As Hermione continued her path to the great hall for a quick lunch she remembered McGonagall mentioning that she would introduce both of the new professors at dinner and for now she could sit at the professors table as a guest. Absent mindedly she wondered who the other new professor was as she reached the doors to the hall,; mostly able to ignore the whispers that seemed to follow her - almost as much as Harry these days.

Walking up along the outside of the hall Hermione took a seat towards the end of the table, not wishing to draw more attention to her or bother the other professors. Still lost in thought she didn't notice Draco walking in the great hall behind her or him taking a seat next to her. Picking at her grilled cheese sandwich and small pile of grapes she tried to alternate between tearing apart her sandwich and taking small bites. After being on the run for months, often with barely enough food to survive, she still had not gotten back up to her pre-war sizeregained her gotten back up to weight or returned to her previous eating habits. It was clearly visible that she was underweight and not sleeping well, something that Draco did not miss.

He was disappointed that she had yet to notice him so he made a little bit more noise than necessary while pulling his chair up to the table to gather her attention. It worked. A startled Hermione jerked her head to see Draco seated next to her, not realizing that she had her wand pointed towards him under the table.

"What are you doing here?"

Smirking Draco rolled his eyes, "I could ask you the same." His smirk grew as she narrowed her gaze at him.

"I asked first. What are you doing here Malfoy?"

"How juvenile, Granger. Well, if you must know, I am here to shape the young minds that pass through here."

Trying to ignore the flush that colored her face Hermione continued as if nothing had happened. "What possible reason would you have to be teaching here, I'm even wondering why Professor McGonagall would consider interviewing you."

"Minerva sees a marked improvement in my opinions towards those who come from muggle households; of course I am also one of the best Potions Masters on the continent. That must count for something in your book." Hermione's face turned pale, her hand clenched around her wand, knuckles white from her tight grip. Reaching for her goblet with a slightly shaking hand she took a sip of her water, her exposed wrist was boney and frail and Draco could not resist pointing it out. "Potter hasn't been taking very good care of you now has he? You need to put a little meat on your bones if you ever want to catch yourself a husband. It is not respectable for a woman to go long with out marrying."

Hermione's face turned the color of a ripe tomato, hardly able to believe that he would bring this up with her. "I hardly believe that it is respectable to have this conversation with a stranger Malfoy."

"Oh but Granger,, we have known each other for years. After all the fights and me saving you from my demented aunt,, one would think that we could hardly be called strangers. ., you You don't go around punching strangers do you?" Draco doubted that Hermione would ever be able to forget that day, and loved every reaction he got from her at his words.

"No I don't go around punching strangers. I only punch cruel, annoying, sniveling prats who think themselves above others." Finally giving into her temper Hermione stood up and left the hall in a storm that was so like when she had been a student and in a tiff with her friends. As she pushed through a throng of girls she told herself that she wasn't hungry anyway and that seeing the Ferret would ruin anyone's appetite.

)( )( )( )(

Making her way to her new classroom Hermione smiled. It would be all hers, though she wasn't certain where she would start with decorating. Waving her wand she set about cleaning the room, unstacking the desks and chairs and arranging them in a semi circle around her desk. She hoped to implement some new styles of teaching that were popular in the muggle classroom now;, but first she would have to assess where her students were.

Much like her, Harry and Ron, they had seen many different Defense professors, - all with different styles of teaching and many of them following no fixed lesson plan. Most of the professors had paid no attention to where the previous had left off or what was age appropriate. The first thing that she would have to do was fill in the holes were their education was lacking and then fill them in. She was going to be the best Defense Against the Dark Arts professor in years and she would not let Draco Malfoy hold her back.

)( )( )( )(

Note: People have questioned the ages of Draco and Hermione. In my opinion a veela comes into their inheritance when they become adults; their 17th birthdays. Therefore Draco had his mate dream and has changed into an adult veela. Hermione must accept the mate bond before his 18th birthday, one year after the change. They have both completed their 7th year and are therefore able to teach at Hogwarts. Technically I am going with the idea that Hermione is 198 already due to the use of the time turner, without it she would still be a few months older than Draco. I also owe a great thanks to my betas for dealing with all of my misspellings and grammatical errors.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4, Draco

As he moved closer to her it became more apparent that how thin she really was;, it didn't appear as though she had gained an ounce since the final battle and upon closer inspection of her plate he couldn't say that he was surprised. A grilled cheese sandwich and a handful of grapes might feed a four year old but Hermione was a full grown woman. Not only that but she easily needed to gain 15 pounds, more if he wanted her to survive bonding and eventually childbirth. His mate was to skinny by far and it would be one of the first things he set out to fix.

Draco soon realized though that he could not try to make her eat more and reach out to her at the same time. His plans to make her eat more, in fact, had backfired causing her to leave the Great Hall after eating less than half of her sandwich and maybe a couple of the grapes. Even so he was entranced by the way her ire changed her gaunt face as her eyes shimmered a little more brightly and her hair seemed to come to life. It was the most animated he had seen her since the battle, hell it was the most he had seen of her since the war ended.

She avoided the public whenever she could, when her presence was needed she was sedate watching and directing the unwelcome attention to others. It was no secret that she had volunteered to help rebuild the castle, but when he had come to "bump" into her she had been no where to be found. Draco had even resorted to staking out her parents grave as it was the only place that he was guaranteed to see her and then he mostly stayed back, not wanting to be cause her even more distress while visiting their grave. If nothing else he could admit that Potter for once had his uses, if Hermione was with him then she would be feed and protected; something that he could not yet do.

After he got his job at Hogwarts he heard that both Durmstrang and Beauxbatons Beaxubottons had every intention of inviting her to teach at their institutes so he had paid them off in an effort to keep her from leaving him. Even if she did not know it yet she was his and nothing would stop him from having her. After he hadn't been able to stop the Americans from sending their letter he had been thankful to hear that she declined their offer in the hopes for something more. It was no secret that McGonagall would rather have Hermione teaching at Hogwarts;, the interview had only been a formality to make her feel more comfortable about accepting the job.

Rather than following the irate woman Draco stayed seated to finish his lunch, ignoring the glares that Slughorn was giving him. It wasn't his fault that his job had been a temporary one until another professor could be found, and it just so happened that the professor was him.

)( )( )( )(

After lunch Draco returned to his quarters to think up ways to make Hermione see him as something other than an old school nemesis. When he had taken the job McGonagall had offered him the choice to take up his god-fathers old rooms, he found it rather morbid and would rather not think of the man who saved his life every time he went to his suite. Instead he took rooms that, while still in the dungeons, where closer to ground level. He hoped that because they were not as cold as the dungeons that his mate would agree to moving into his rooms rather than the other way around.

He loved thinking of her as his mate, his. Even if she didn't know it yet it was undoubtedly true, in return for her submission and love she would take care of her foreverbe forever taken care of. After their bonding she would be gifted with a life span that more than rivaled the average wizards, not only that but their psychic bond would strengthen as well. There would be other perks but as far as Draco was concerned those were the only important ones right now. He missed her scent already, the heady mixture of almond and parchment with just a hint of vanilla that followed her every where. He would have to steal a shirt or blanket from her, something that would hold her scent and sooth him so that he would be able to sleep.

Soon the lack of their bonding would start to affect her as well as him if it hadn't already. She clearly was not sleeping well, but that could have been due to her parents' deaths and trauma from the war. Draco frowned out his window, unsure of what he should do next. Using the law was becoming more appealing, it would be equal parts selfish and for her own good. The mating followed by a bite would seal the bond; from there he would be able to better protect her. Their bond would allow him to know what she was feeling and eventually she would be able to do the same to him. It would also enhance her feelings for him, and she would become just as dependent on her as he was on her. The need to be close, to constantly touch and see each other would become a large part of their lives. To be mated would allow them to have what few others did; to find the one who was truly their other half. His mate would just be the better half.

The smirk that had appeared on his face at the thought faded slightly;, he wanted to be better for her. Not perfect, or good by any means, but maybe more deserving of her. That was why he was not enacting the law that would give her to him. He wanted her to want him a fraction of what he needed her.

Changing into Slytherin green robes Draco prepared for dinner. Tonight McGonagall would be announcing that there were two new and permanent perminate professors at Hogwarts. After that he would be able to fully dedicate himself to sealing the bond between him and Hermione.

)( )( )( )(

As Draco walked into the loud, boisterous Great Hall he was not surprised to see his mate already seated at the professors table to the right of McGonagall, and only two other seats open. One was to the left of McGonagall, it was clearly meant for him, the other however was on Hermione's other side and likely meant for the Arithmancy Arithmacy professor. His mate always did like her. Instead of taking the seat beside McGonagall he gracefully sat beside his mate.

He wasn't surprised at all when she opened her mouth to berate him, and instead cut her off. "Look Hermione, I'd rather sit by you than Slughorn. I know the man is still peaked that I am replacing him and I'd prefer to enjoy my dinner than listen to his thinly veiled complaints that he has lost his position." He loved how her eyes narrowed and she licked her lips in preparation for telling him off.

"I'm sure that he is not that bad Malfoy, after all most are still waiting for you to slip up and show that you are not all that different than your father. He might be getting his job back soon." If there was one complaint he had about his mate it was that she could hold a grudge if she wanted to. Most of the time Hermione was an extremely forgiving person; why else would she have put up with all of Potter's and Weasley's Weasely's crap. He ignored the more love stricken side of him that said she had every reason to think the way she did about him and instead lashed back at her.

"Even your friend Weasley is more qualified to teach potions than Slughorn is, and I'm sure you of all people know better than to pass down the sins of the father." The retort that was surely on the tip of Hermione's tongue was silenced by the clinking of McGonagall's glass. Draco looked around surprised that the Great Hall was now filled.

"Tonight we welcome two new professors to Hogwarts. Some of you may know them or know of them, all of you will respect them. Professor Malfoy is our new Potions professor as Professor Slughorn is returning to his life of retirement." Draco stood when she paused, giving a haughty look to the crowd. He had no doubt that all of the students would respect him as they had his late god father, Severus. It did not escape his notice that a few of the older Slytherin girls seemed to be a little more excited to see him that was strictly appropriate, though he could not remember their names for the life of him. "And Miss Granger is our new Defense against the Dark Arts professor; would either of you like say something?"

Hermione stood sending a waft of her mouthwatering scent in his direction. "I am pleased to be returning to my second home, and glad to be finishing out the school year with you. Just as I have much to teach you I am sure that you have much to teach me and I am looking forward to it, thank you." Draco sighed when she sat down, after that little speech he would have to say something as well.

"I have every intention of running my class as my predecessors have; efficiently, logically and with an iron fist. I hope that all of you are up to the challenge." As soon as he sat down everyone turned back to their plates, the whispers having a decidedly more excited air about them.

Out of the corner of his eye Draco noticed Hermione send a glare in his direction before turning her body to have a conversation with the Headmistress. She seemed to be a little happier now than she had that morning and she seemed to be making a good dent in the small piles of food on her plate. It still was not nearly enough sustenance but it would be a good beginning. A small smile tugged at his lips when she laughed and he could not wait for the day when that smile would be directed towards him.

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That night as Draco prepared for bed he could not help feeling a little helpless. No matter how he tried he did not see how he would be able to show his mate that he loved her. Thinking back to when he had approached Hermione in her dreams he smirked. If she fell in love with the man in her dreams and was shown that it was him she would be forced to see that he had changed. He would have everything he wanted, without having to use that bloody law.

Relaxing into his bed he focused on her, reaching out to his mate in her dreams.

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I thought I would thank everyone for reviewing, favoriting and alerting I Will Have You. A few of you have even added me to your author alerts, which was amazing as well. A couple of friends have said that I should have a regular posting date and I agree. I'm shooting for every week. I'm a busy person as are my betas and with the holidays coming up it will be hard to make that dead line. Still I thought I should at least let you all know my intentions.

Thanks again, Sam


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Hermione

Her dream started out much the same as the last one had; her on a swing wearing a pretty white dress with an unknown man pushing her gently. This time though it was dark out with stars and lightning bugs as their light. Sighing, Hermione tilted her head back to look at the sky above them.

"You have the stars all wrong. You're missing the Big Dipper and the North Star." Her brows furrowed slightly when she realized that none of the star formations that she knew were in the sky.

"It's just a dream; here things can be what ever you wish them to be. You don't have to have all the answers all the time, Hermione." Carefully he held her back from swinging out again, hands cupping her hips. She didn't notice when he ran his nose through her hair, breathing in her unique scent.

"That's not the point. And you still haven't told me who you are." Pausing, she tilted her head, mulling over her thoughts, "I'm starting to think that you are just a dream, a coping mechanism so that I don't have to deal with my nightmares." The man smirked into her hair, squeezing her hips, though she did not appear to notice that he held them in his grasp.

"I'll admit that I am the man of your dreams and that I'd like to be more than a coping mechanism to your nightmares." Nuzzling her long and somewhat bushy hair out of his way he brushed his lips against her ear, "If you would let me I'd like to be the cure to all of your problems."

Hermione blushed slightly, amazed at her subconscious' brazen creation of the man. Most called her a prude, something that she had come to believe despite Harry's insistence that she was just the opposite and that she did not need to degrade herself the way that other girls did. "Please let go of me."

Under his breath he whispered, "For now." Not hearing him Hermione smiled relaxing once he had let go of her and started pushing again.

"Are you going to be in my dreams every night?"

"Yes, Hermione, all of your dreams."

Smiling a little bigger, Hermione let them fall into a silence, content to just sit and let her dream man push her on the swing.

()()()()()

Arriving to her classroom early Hermione looked around, taking in her new classroom: the clean blackboard, desks arranged in a circle formation around the class room and a dueling arena/ practice area set up in the center of the room. Her plan was to make this class one that was both practical and theoretical, the ratio of the two depending both on the level of her students and their maturity. She hoped that the older ones would be able to handle duels once or twice a month to practice what they had learned in a more realistic environment. Standing in the center of her room, Hermione waited for her first class to enter.

In groups of three and four, whispering students began coming in, taking their seats and staring at her. Ignoring their stares and whispers Hermione waited for everyone to arrive before standing. Waiting for the whispering to stop she looked over her class, not surprised to see a mixture of Gryffindors and Slytherins. Once all was quiet she began her speech.

"As you all know I am the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor at Hogwarts. Some of you may remember me from when I was a student. I want you to forget about the Hermione Granger you may have known; from now on I am Professor Granger. I do not care about house affiliation or blood status and prejudice will not be tolerated in my classroom. The war is over. I do not care which side you or your parents or your friends may have fought on because it is irrelevant.

I am here to teach you how to defend yourselves. If I find out that any of you use any spells that you have learned in this class against another student for anything but defense I will personally oversee your detentions or expulsion." Pausing to look at her new students she nodded her head and continued.

"That being said I am ready to get started. I have prepared a test for you that starts with ten basic questions. As you answer them it will generate new questions for you to see what you have learned and what you have not. I know that you have never had the same professor for two years and I know that there are neglected areas because of it. I just want to know where it is that we should start." With a wave of her wand pieces of parchment flew out to each of the students.

As they began taking the test Hermione looked around noticing how the class was clearly divided based on their houses. That would be the second order of business then, mixing up their seating. She had wanted to do a demonstration but decided that it would have to wait; perhaps she could get Harry and George to come in and do it for her. She didn't think that she would be able to handle doing something like that even with out students in the room. She simply could not trust her self with that.

Noticing that some of the students were beginning to finish she walked around collecting the tests, looking them over as she went. The good news was that most of them had enough knowledge to be the fifth years that they were; the bad news was that there were some serious gaps in what they should have known from younger years. While many knew higher level spells and information they lacked an in depth knowledge of the subject and things they should have learned before them. Setting the pile on her own desk to finish going over later, Hermione directed them to pick up their things and stand by the wall.

"I have noticed that you still do not mix well with each other. That is going to end, in my class room at the least. When you leave you will have to work with people that you do not like and that have come from other houses, you need to get used to this. When I point to you tell me you name and sit down in order starting here." Here started next to her desk, moving in a clockwise direction around the room. And then she began pointing.

There were a couple groups of both Gryffindor and Slytherin that seemed reluctant to move as directed. The Gryffindors went peacefully enough when she sent them a mild glare that was reminiscent of what they had seen her give to students, then peers, in the past. The Slytherin girls however glared back before moving as directed mumbling under their breaths.

Deciding to let it go for now Hermione turned her attention to her class. "These are not assigned seats; however, you will sit next to two other people who are not in your house every day. If you chose not to you will be first corrected, then given a detention and then removed from my class. I do not recommend testing me on this."

After dismissing her class Hermione sighed. She had hoped that the animosity between houses would have begun to alleviate with the war over once and for all, it seemed that it would be too good to be true to wish for that.

()()()()()

Thankfully the rest of her classes had passed by more easily than her first had; of course that was to be expected with first and third years. They were more easily cowed and remembered less if anything about her from when she had been attending Hogwarts. Taking her three stacks of quizzes into her small office Hermione put them into three piles from with fifth years first and first years last. Even the war could not take away the part of her that needed everything in order. Making her way through the halls, smiling at the students she recognized, she confidently made her way to the professors table.

Just as he had promised Harry was there waiting for her. "I'm so glad you could make it, I wasn't quite sure after I got an owl from Ginny about her accident. She's okay, right?" Hermione asked.

Enveloping his long time friend in his arms Harry smiled. Being in the castle seemed to have improved her mood immensely, giving him hope that she would soon recover from the war. "Gin is fine; you know her tendency to over react when she gets excited. All it was was a rolled ankle; the medi witch gave her a balm and told her no flying for two days."

Hermione returned her friends embrace, not used to going so long without seeing him after living in his house for months. Blushing slightly she pulled back to look at his face, "Well you never know, with her not flying is grounds to be worried. You never know what trouble she could get into then…" Pulling him back to his seat she sat beside him filling her own plate as he talked.

"She, George and Charlie have been getting into enough trouble as it is without you there to stop them, though George has been complaining that his pranks aren't as good without his favorite book worm there to yell at him. And Charlie is just getting worse with time. It's hard to believe we ever thought that having Charlie there might mellow George out, it's almost like he's become" Harry broke off looking down at the table. He hadn't meant to bring up Fred, or the war. It was one of the few things that they never talked about.

Hermione put down her fork, her throat closing at the thoughts of Fred. When Harry's hand reached out for her own she griped it tightly as if she thought that it would bring Fred back. Clearing her throat she gave Harry a half hearted smile, "It's okay. We can't not talk about them forever. If George can do it then I think that I should be able to as well. Besides it's been almost a year and we can't go on like this forever."

Looking at the table still Harry squeezed her hand back and took a drink. "Ginny has been talking about him too. I think that we all have. I think it is better that we be able to talk about them and smile rather than think about them and cry. And it is okay to cry sometimes too Hermione, just not all the time." Nodding her head in agreement Hermione returned to her meal, picking at it like she normally did.

"Have you been working on eating more like we talked about? I know that it's hard, but you have to do it." Hermione knew that he was only concerned but it didn't stop the exasperated sigh from leaving her lips.

"I'm trying Harry. It's just that nothing ever sounds good anymore and even when it does I can only manage a few bites before I feel ill." Releasing her hand, Harry picked up her spoon sectioning away small piles of her food. When he was done about a quarter of the food was left on the half of the plate closest to Hermione.

"Well just try and eat that much for me okay? And a glass of pumpkin juice, because if you can't eat, you should at least drink things that have lots of nutrients." Smiling up at her old friend Hermione nodded and returned to her picking.

From the other end of the table Draco watched with narrow eyes as Harry comforted Draco's mate. It seemed that her old friend was doing everything that he was supposed to do for her. Unable to sit and do nothing Draco stood, leaving the hall before his jealousy got the best of him. No matter what anyone might think in the end he would have her.

()()()()()

I am continuously pleased with the response I have gotten for I Will Have You and thank you to everyone who has taken the time to review. As always a big thanks to my betas, and I hope you enjoyed chapter five.

Sam


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six; Draco

Grumpily Draco sipped his tea; it had been another long, sleepless night, except for when he had shared the dream with his mate. It had ended far too quickly and it was apparent that he would need more than a nightly escape to see his mate. He needed to protect her, to hold her, to _smell_ her… Sitting up a little straighter Draco's mind raced. He needed to smell her, if he could simply smell her then maybe it would give him more time; time that he could use to woo her, to make her fall in love with him and then seal their bond. Finishing his warm tea in three refined gulps he left the Great Hall with a goal in mind.

He would steal something of hers, something that she wore, that touched her skin so it was permanently imprinted with her unique and addicting scent. Making his way to where he thought Hermione's rooms to be, Draco waited until she left pleased to see that she had slept well and that she had a little more bounce in her step. He hoped that it was because of him, the man that lived in her dreams. Skillfully using a non-verbal alohamora to unlock her rooms Draco slipped in, walking in an almost drunken manner to her bed.

Her scent was strong and heady, and far more concentrated on her bed amongst her sheets, blankets and pillows. Burrowing his face into a pillow Draco closed his eyes, taking in her scent and feeling his incisors sharpen and grow longer. He desperately wanted to bury his teeth into her pillow to appease his veela side despite knowing that it would do little to seal their bond, he simply couldn't help it. It was good that he had decided now to do something about his need for her. As it was getting closer and closer to his birthday he needed her more and more.

Forcing himself to leave her bed Draco stumbled to her bathroom, nearly intoxicated by everything that screamed Hermione to him. Next to her bathroom door he found a laundry basket, it was neat and tidy, exactly what he would expect from his mate. Digging through it he found an old long sleeve shirt that had seen better days. Bringing it to his nose he sniffed it, not surprised when his mate's strong scent rushed over him.

Pleased with what he had found he walked back into her suit, pausing to look at the pictures that covered her dresser. Many of them featured her with Potter and an interchangeable Weasley or two. Those ones moved and a majority of the older ones seemed to be taken at Hogwarts and some sort of house, though Draco could not understand how it was standing even with magic. The newer ones seemed more focused on Potter and three of the Weasley's; the girl, the funny one whose twin had died, and an older one who he thought he remembered working with dragons. Hermione seemed sadder in the new ones, sure she was smiling but something also seemed to be missing from it.

With a frown on his face Draco turned away from the pictures, he hated to see so many men with her even if he knew that they were more like brothers. Glancing around her room once more he slipped out with his prize in hand.

()()()()()

A part of him had wanted desperately to go back to his room, curl up with Hermione's shirt and sleep. The more logical and human part of him knew that he had to teach a class though; it was why he was able to be so close to his mate and he needed his job for that if nothing else. Reverently placing her shirt on his pillow Draco prepared for his first class.

It was double potions with seventh years, and many would remember him from when he had attended Hogwarts. Still, he was a Malfoy and he had spent many years studying his godfather to learn to be like him. He would have those kids quaking with fear in three minutes. Smirking to himself he thought it a rather generous estimate; after all Draco Malfoy was still a Slytherin Prince and he was known for fighting in the war. Even though it wasn't true many students still thought that he had killed Dumbledore, there were some things that even a public apology and statement from the Boy Who Lived couldn't change.

Striding purposefully into his dungeon classroom, Draco swiftly moved to the front of his students looking them over. They had all stopped talking the moment he had stormed in, reminiscent of his first class with his late godfather, Professor Severus Snape.

"Your wands will not be necessary in this class. Today or ever. If I see it I will take it for the rest of the period and you may get it back after you have served detention. It is far too dangerous to use a wand in a room filled with potions and their ingredients, which all of you should know by now." Pausing to look around the room he was pleased to see several faces blanch, it was good to cow them before they got too cocky.

"I demand respect in my classroom, if any of you cannot handle that then get out of my class. You are supposed to be here because you are talented at potions and are planning to use it in your future. I suggest that all of you protect your futures." Turning his back to the class Draco smirked before gesturing to the black board.

"There is a list of things I expect to get done today, if it doesn't you will all get detentions so that you may come back to finish it." The list ranged from cleaning cauldrons and scrubbing tables to sorting out good ingredients from the bad and preparing new ones to be put away.

Sitting behind his desk and working on his lessons plans for the rest of the year Draco looked up periodically to make sure that everyone was busy. At 11:30 Draco dismissed his class with an imperious wave of his hand.

()()()()()

Right on time, Narcissa and Lucius arrived for lunch with their son. Hugging his mother and kissing each of her cheeks Draco then shook his father's hand in greeting.

"Italy seems to have done you both well, you enjoyed it I take?" Draco still spoke with a stiff formality when addressing his father; there was something about Lucius that seemed to demand it.

"Yes, Italy was a lovely as ever and Blaise did send his greetings. He says that he will visit you soon." Stepping gracefully into her son's common room, Narcissa studied it before turning back to her son, "You haven't done much with the space Draco, would you like me to do something about it for you?"

Giving his mother the smile that was reserved for her alone Draco politely shook his head no, "I'm going to wait until Hermione moves in, that way we can agree on something that fits both of our tastes." His attentions shifted to his father when he followed his wife, a small scowl etched on his face.

"So it is true then. The girl is to be your mate, for the first time in the history of the Malfoy's there will be a… muggle born in the family." He had scarcely gotten the words out of his mouth when Draco whirled on him, snarling loudly in objection.

"She already is my mate and you will show some respect for her. You know that she is twice as powerful as any pureblood girl in generations and has more class than any of them. You should be honored that she will be a part of this family." While talking Draco had moved to pin his father against the wall, a warning against the perceived threat to his mate, his Hermione.

"Now, Lucius dear, you ought to know better. If nothing else she will save his life, you know that a Malfoy cannot go without their mate. If you remember correctly you would remember your own family's objections to me. I was the sister and cousin of two blood traitors, Abraxas was adamant that proof of my being your mate was offered before we could do anything about it. You nearly died from it." Narcissa carefully moved to her son and mate, not wanting to anger her feral son. "Draco, please let go of your father. He only wants what is best for you, sometimes he forgets that your needs are very simple and specific. Please let him go now."

Turning to his mother, Draco slowly let go of his father, anger still in his eyes, "Don't you ever talk about her like that again. If it wasn't for mother I would have killed you for it. Hermione is just what this family needs; kindness, softness, humility." The last was clearly directed at his father as Draco stepped away from him and moved over to the table set up for their lunch. "Well, we best get to lunch if we don't want it to get cold."

()()()()()

Draco let out a relived sigh once his parents had left. Lunch had been a tense affair after the conflict between him and his father. Much of it, his mother had spent trying to smooth things over between the two males but Draco wasn't having it. It had been the first time that he had shown the harpy-like traits that males sometimes exhibited; the elongated teeth, paler than normal skin, extra strength and sharper senses. The traits were meant to defend a male veela's mate by force or intimidation, though they had also been used to force a mate into compliance. That was, of course, before laws had been put in place to protect the veela and when the world had been a little less civilized.

Entering his bed chambers, Draco went over to the shirt he had taken from Hermione, taking a deep whiff of it. The tension seemed to melt away and he sat heavily on his bed, the exhaustion finally seeming to get to him. If he hadn't been certain that Hermione would be at dinner that night he simply would have gone to bed then, instead he went back to his office to continue working on his lesson plans for his students.

It was tedious work, but had to be done and if he didn't get it done it would only add more stress to his life. No, he planned on getting a full night's sleep so that he would be better able to start moving in on his mate. He needed to get closer to her, woo her, draw her in and then make her his. Forever, that is. Hermione was already his, even if she didn't know it. And once she knew then the world would know, and after that he hoped to live a long, happy life with his delectable mate. His lovely mate with large tawny eyes, and chestnut hair with its golden high lights, and her pretty legs… For such a small girl one would never think that she could have those long, slim, pretty legs.

Shaking his head, Draco tried to get back to his work, finding it increasingly difficult to do so when all he wanted to do was think about Hermione. Even her name was distracting. It fit her so well, and the nick name that her friends sometimes referred to her as; Mione. If he had his way he would be the only one to call her that, she was his after all. At the growling insistence of his stomach Draco looked at the clock. It was dinner time. He would finally be able to see her after going all day without a single glance at her. Standing and stretching Draco smoothly made his way to the Great Hall.

()()()()()

I am always amazed at the response I get with each chapter; it is both encouraging and flattering. Now I do have a question for you readers; how do you feel about poetry? It is something else that I write and I'm curious as to if you would want to see it in I Will Have You or you would prefer that I leave it out. Ultimately, I'll make the final decision but I am curious as to how you feel about it too. As of now I have a poll up for you to vote on, thank you for reading and I'll see you next week.

-Sam


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven; Hermione

Rubbing her forehead with her fingers, Hermione attempted to ease the pounding in her head. After Harry had left things seemed to go downhill; some of the more out going students had come up to her asking if that was really Harry Potter. A few of the girls even asked if he was actually dating Ginny. She had ignored all of them, finally taking away house points when students continued to pester her. Unable to hide the wince when a group of rambunctious students strolled in laughing, Hermione considered going to her rooms to get a headache potion.

Deciding that it would be for the best she slipped out of her chair in the Great Hall and exited through the professors' hall to get back to her rooms. She shut her door quietly, finding that even the barely audible click made her head pound even harder and she picked up the strongest headache potion she had. Going to measure a dose she was surprised to find that there was hardly any of the potion left. Hermione new that she had been having headaches more often and had been taking more of the cure because of, however she hadn't realized that she had been used in a few weeks what normally lasted her a few months.

With a sigh she measured out a dose of the headache potion that was meant for mild headaches due to stress. She figured that stress could be the source for her headaches but she had never gotten headaches from stress in the past. Swallowing the potion in two gulps Hermione returned to the Great Hall, finding that it was louder than before and that all the seats were taken except for the one next to Malfoy. No matter how she might want to run, much the way she would have if she was five rather than 18, she forced herself to take the remaining spot at the table.

Stubbornly ignoring the man seated next to her, Hermione nursed her cup of black coffee, her stomach churning at the thought of indulging in anything else. Harry had encouraged her to eat more but every time she tried to she couldn't bring herself to do it. She was still over full from the lunch that she had eaten with him that day, no matter that her friends claimed it wasn't nearly enough to sustain a grown woman.

"I hope you intend to eat more than that Granger, I fail to see how it will do anyone any good to have their professor ill from malnutrition. I had once thought that you were above the muggle trend of being the size of a wand." Draco's voice lacked it's normal cruelty and seemed to ring with a scathing edge in Hermione's ears. It was enough to make her set her warm cup down on the wooden table and actually look at him for the first time since the war had ended.

"Didn't your mother tell you that it was rude to comment on a ladies figure? And since when have you paid attention to muggle trends or muggleborns?" Taking a deeper breath she got ready to continue her rant, rather tired from the stressful day, and irritated that he looked so much better than she did in that moment without a hair out of place. "I have had quiet enough already today. I have a pounding headache and the only reason I'm here is because it would draw more notice if I was not. So for once in your bloody life would you leave me the hell alone?" Instead of getting louder like she had intended to Hermione ended in a hushed whisper, one hand on her forehead and the other resting listlessly on the table in front of her. Brow furrowed she glared at Draco; his pale blonde hair, cold steel eyes, and admittedly handsome features never more interesting- or stirring- than in that minute.

It was rather odd how their eyes had locked, how neither of them seemed willing to look away, almost as curious as it was that she had forgotten how beautiful he was through the taunts and glares and hard feelings between them… Jerking herself back into reality Hermione got to her feet, only slightly unsteady on her feet. She would not think that way about mudblood hating Draco Malfoy. He who had done nothing while his aunt tortured her. He who had nearly gotten them all killed countless times. He who never hid his unadulterated hatred for her, and all she loved.

Leaving the Great Hall in a flurry of dark robes and quickly moving feet, she failed to notice the following steel grey orbs or the Headmistresses curious gaze darting between the two young professors.

()()()()()

Her head seemed to have scarcely touched her pillow before she had fallen into a deep sleep, the kind that she could never wake herself from without the help of another. Instead of opening her eyes in the garden, and swinging smoothly thanks to the steady push from her mystery man Hermione opened her eyes to the dank, dark, and frightenly familiar dining hall in the Malfoy manor. She was back to the nightmares it seemed, nothing could keep the crazy Bellatrix away forever, how silly of her to think so.

No matter how she tried to change the events of her nightmare she never could manage to fight back, to use the wandless magic that she was now so proficient at. Rather she felt a cold stone floor under her aching body, unable to stop the jerking flinch her body made at Lestrange's manic cackle.

"Mudblood, mudblood, lying on the floor… I have to wonder is your blood dirty in color too?" The crazed woman skipped over to the prone girl on the floor, running the tip of her wand across the limp the arm that was trying to cover a bushy head. "Let's find out shall we?" Without waiting for a reaction Bellatrix mumbled a spell before scratching out letters on Hermione's arm with a knife.

Even though she knew that the pain was only a memory the dream Hermione cowered, crying silently wishing that she would wake. It didn't work, instead the death eater pinched her skin forcing her blood to well up and spill onto the floor.

"Awww, I'm rather disappointed mudblood. Your blood is the same color as my insolent brother in law… no matter; we still know that you are beneath even house elves." Bellatrix's maniacal laugh echo through the room again and Hermione braced herself for what was to come next. Eyes clenched shut she curled tighter into herself as Bellatrix yelled out the first syllable of the curse that always came next; crucio.

Before the intense heat could burn her Hermione felt solid arms come around her and a broad warm chest pressed against her back. Shaking as though the curse had reached her anyway she clenched her shut even tighter, scared of the new development in her reoccurring nightmare.

"Shhh, shhh, it's okay now. You can open your eyes, she isn't going to hurt you." The soft insistent murmurs slowly soothed her, that and the steady rubbing movement the man was using to assure her that all was well. "It's gone, we are in the garden now, just relax. Take as long as you need."

Hesitantly Hermione opened her eyes, never more relieved to see grass than she was then. Sucking in shallow breaths she glanced at her arm, the one that dream Bellatrix had cut, seeing pale smooth skin where she had expected to see only blood.

"You got me out." Despite her arm healing, Hermione's voice held a rasp that could only come from yelling. That and shock. "I never get away before she crucio's me. I've never not gone through the entire memory when I'm in a nightmare… How did you do it?"

Sometime during her stuttering, hoarse speech Draco had repositioned them so that she faced forward while leaning back against his chest. Had he thought she could have handled it he would have moved them onto the swing. Had he thought he could have handled it he would have let her go. "I thought that you had decided that I was a defense mechanism against your nightmares? We need to work on the warning system a little bit more though, you shouldn't have had to deal with that."

Hermione tucked her head under his chin, not quite sure if she had told the man who seemed to show up in her dreams every night what she thought of him. Nodding her head in agreement she looked around them, "It's night again. We need to find other day light settings for this. It looks the same as the first night."

Ignoring the man's chuckle, she studied the night sky. Some of the constellations had been fixed but she was finding that it didn't bother her the way it used too. Putting more effort than necessary into looking at the stars Hermione decided against saying anything. She was still trying to come to terms with the nightmare, and how she had been pulled out of it. Had she not been so busy with her new job as a professor she would have went to books to find out all the answers to her questions, instead she was content to let things be; for now. Nodding firmly to herself she vowed that if things got any more unlikely or less than normal, for wizarding world standards, she would take the time to find her answers.

Until then she would be content to simply enjoy the company of the man her subconscious had created. Relaxing more fully into who was really Draco she let her eyes close again, this time into a slumber that would go uninterrupted.

()()()()()

Waking to the annoying buzz of her rigged alarm clock Hermione rolled from her stomach to her back with a groan. Her night's sleep had simply not been as good as the last few nights, and though she was loath to admit it there were some lingering side effects from her nightmare. After a fortifying breath she tottered to her feet, still unsteady with sleep, and rubbed her eyes in the most dignified manner she could before making her way to the bathroom.

The hot shower helped to relax the tense muscles that Hermione hadn't even realized were tense. It was as though the pounding beads of water did more than wash away the previous days sweat; it also rinsed away whatever stress she might have had. Even with washing her slightly tamed hair, shaving what had to be shaved and using a generous portion of her favorite body soap she was in and out in less than half an hour.

Drying herself off the witch also dropped her dirtied pajamas into the clothes hamper, not noticing that things had been moved from where she had positioned them the previous morning. With a practiced drying charm Hermione moved out of the bathroom and over to her closet to pick out which robes she would wear that day. Though she didn't feel confident or sure of herself she pulled on one of her newer sets of robes, ones that Ginny had picked out.

It was only as she walked back into her suite that she realized there was a book sitting on her bedside table. Curious she sat it on her lap, reading the cover **A Wizards Guide to Dreamscape Wanderings**. Staring at the book before her Hermione pursed her lips.

()()()()()

I know I am horrible. I'm very late for this chapter and it hasn't been beta'd. All I can say is that the holiday rush caught up with me rather quickly. Also I'm rather concerned about the lack of response to my last authors note. No one voted on the poll on my profile and only two people even mentioned it in a review. So I will say it one more time; I am considering using tasteful, short and relevant poetry in I Will Have You. It would be original, written by me, and could play a huge role latter on in this story. Please make your opinions known by voting and I hope that you have enjoyed this installment.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8; Draco

When the sun started to peek through Draco's windows he had long since been awake; head resting in his hands and elbows balanced on his knees while he sat on the edge of his bed. After Hermione had fallen into a deeper sleep during their dream he had woken up feeling scared, unsure and guilty. It seemed that everything that went wrong in her life could be traced back to him. His own family was guilty of causing her harm and he had done nothing to stop it. Worse was the fact that she had horrid nightmares about it, he wasn't sure how he moved them from her nightmare to their garden and swing.

Finally standing he moved about on auto pilot, still thinking about what he had seen and what it would mean from him and his mate. In the early hours of the morning he had sent her a book with the help of a house elf sworn into secrecy, perhaps he should do some research himself. He hoped that the book would give her a push into thinking that her dream man was actually a real person. It was why he had charmed it to open to that chapter first. If he knew his mate half as well as he thought he did then she would be spending all her spare time in the library for the next week.

Absent mindedly he lifted the worn shirt he had stolen from her quarters to his face, inhaling the unique scent that clung to it. Until Hermione had her nightmare it seemed to be doing its job allowing him to actually sleep. A glance in the mirror told Draco what he already knew; he looked much better but if you looked a little closer one could see the wariness in his eyes. Running a hand through his mussed hair he got ready for the day, if he hurried he would beat Hermione to the Great Hall.

If he beat her then he would be able to eat most of his breakfast before she got there allowing him a few minutes to see her and then leave. Though he hated to admit it his mate would never eat a full meal if was there, he ended up trying to bully her into eating more every time. And every time she would leave after barely touching her half filled plate. Someday he would be able to eat a meal with his mate but until then she had accepted him he would have to be careful to ensure that she was taken care of and he still got to see her.

()()()()()

Just as he had expected Hermione took her seat next to him as he was starting his remaining piece of toast. Pride swelled up in him as he took in her face, pleased to be the reason that she looked well rested. For the first time both parts of him felt as though they had done something right; they had taken care of their mate, ensured that she got a good night's rest and had pleasant dreams.

Watching her from the corner of his eye as she filled her plate he noticed that while she put no more food on it than she had the night before she seemed to eat like she was hungry. He wasn't surprised when seconds after her first bite she propped up the book he had sent to her and couldn't hide his smirk when she couldn't open it to the table of contents. He had known that she would want to skip to the most interesting parts of the book first, that was part of the reason he had charmed the book in the first place.

"What are you smirking at so early in the morning Malfoy?" She was glaring vehemently, uncaring if she was taking her frustrations out on someone who, as far as she knew, had nothing to do with them.

Lazily flicking his eyes up to meet hers, his smirk fought the urge to twist into a smile and was only partially successful. "It shouldn't surprise me, but you still manage to make obscenely large books fit onto the table with out over crowding it." What came out wasn't exactly what he had intended to say, and was even further from what he thought but when some of the animosity faded from her eyes he was glad it came out that way all the same.

"Yes, well some things never change." A pretty blush covered her cheeks and Draco found it to be cute, he was also rather curious as to how far it would spread but kept his eyes from wandering all the same. Instead of hurrying up to finish his toast he poured himself another glass of pumpkin juice, fully intending to enjoy every second of malice free time he had with Hermione.

"Is that for your class, or just some "light reading"?" He asked, victoriously hiding the knowledge from his face, carefully keeping his eyes just wide enough to seem curious before taking a sip of his juice.

Swallowing the bite she had taken Hermione delicately dabbed at her mouth with her napkin and for the first time Draco realized that his mate had the manners of a fine breed woman. "It's purely for my own pleasure, but I hope that it will lend some helpful insight into some PTSD symptoms that many are having in the after math of the war."

Though it didn't surprise him that she wouldn't tell him exactly why she might be interested in a book entitled **A Wizards Guide to Dreamscape Wanderings**, but somehow her words rang true. As he thought about it Draco wouldn't be surprised if she did try to find some answers for those whose Post Traumatic Stress Disorder symptoms didn't seem to be fading. He knew that a fair number of witches and wizards on both sides of the war had nightmares that plagued them much the same way he figured they did Hermione. "I'm sure anything you find would be appreciated, I know of a few who have the night terrors and flash backs. Some at St. Mungo's think that the two symptoms might be linked."

"Yes, Charlie told me about that. Some of those same people are also trying to integrate some muggle practices that have shown to be helpful. I fully expect that soon will be meshing both magical and non-magical cures and treatments in medicine." What frustration had been in her eyes had faded to passionate interest and sometime during their budding conversation she had abandoned her book, angling herself more fully towards him.

"Actually Blaise Zambini is one of the ones on that project, from what he has told me it has been going very well. He was particularly impressed with how much the talk therapy can help; he wants to move it from the experimental stage into its own category and wing in St. Mungo's." Draco smiled softly when his mate nodded her head in agreement, her excitement tangible in the air around her.

"I know, I can't tell you how many times I tried to get Kingsley to push it through without waiting the standard year to call it a success. It works so well in the muggle world, and they've been using it for years, it should be more than enough for him to force it through early." Pausing to brush her hair out of her face and take a drink she smiled in return. "So far he hasn't bent but I can tell that he will soon."

Draco regretted looking down at his watch almost as soon as he did it; it was time for them to leave for their classes. Meeting Hermione's eyes he only nodded his head to confirm what she had suspected.

"Well, I guess we will see each other at lunch. Have a good day Malfoy." Picking up her book she swiftly made her way out into the hall ways, weaving around students to get to her classroom. Before following her out Draco looked down at her plate, pride swelling in his chest when he realized that she had eaten everything that she had placed on her plate.

()()()()()

The rest of Draco's day went much the way that the previous one had, forcing himself to put all of his attentions on his students; namely monitoring them while the cleaned the last of the mess that Slughorn had left behind. At the rate his classes had gone he would be able to start teaching them something the next day. For the most part his students feared him much the way they had feared Professor Snape, even if it was fueled more on hearsay than the actual truth. Regardless he would take what he got, given enough time people would forget his family's role in the war.

Sending his owl off to Blaise he hoped that he would get back to him soon. If he played his cards right he might be able to give the final push to get the new therapy that both his friend and his mate were so wild about put into action for all who needed it. Of course he wouldn't be able to tell Hermione that it was him who had made it happen but it would give her a pick me up, and be good for her to see some people get help.

Though he knew that it would be unlikely he would like for both of them to go, they both needed the help. But it would be in pure Hermione fashion to say that she didn't need any help and that she was doing just fine. He was her mate however, he knew what was good for her and it was his job to make sure she got it, no matter if she liked it or not. Their conversation during breakfast had gone a long way to pleasing his veela instincts and gave him hope that she would be able to accept him sooner rather than later.

Between his night time success and his daylight progress he may not even need to use the damned law. His mother and father were still pushing for it, saying that every day he waited made things harder for both he and Hermione. They said that no matter what progress he made with her it wouldn't be enough to make her willingly accept the bond and that they would normalize sooner if he would just enact the law now. The veela in him still found that appealing even after all their inner conversations on just how pissed their mate would be.

Dismissing his class for lunch Draco swept into his office. Hermione would be expecting him during lunch and the vain part inside him wouldn't allow him to go without first checking his appearance. His veela reminded him that it was important for them to be physically appealing to her as well as mentally, else wise they would never get any children nor have a bargaining chip when the need inevitably came. Preening before the mirror he tugged on his hair, it was longer than it had been while in school and he now let it lay as it would. Running his fingers through it to give it the tussled windswept look that was never quite right unless he had just gotten off his broom and picking off a piece of imaginary lent Draco set his shoulders.

It was time to show Hermione that he was not a young boy anymore and he desperately wanted her to realize this. He wouldn't be satisfied until he could smell the intoxicating, cloying scent of her arousal and saw her face flush for an entirely different reason that slight embarrassment. Removing his robes and tucking in his muggle dress shirt to his slacks Draco flicked his wand to shut off the lights and leave for the Great Hall.

()()()()()

I am a horrible person. I am four days late, and have no real excuse for it. I have two extremely important things to tell you:

Update day is changing, partially because I'm having trouble catching up and mostly because my next college class is on Monday nights. I will now be updating on Thursday's.

I am changing my pen name. I have a fiction press account and a joint fiction press account in addition to this one. My friend and I are BrashandGrace, so we are both changing all of our pen names to reflect out joint account. I will be RelentlesslyBrash as of Monday.

Finally, this is more for your entertainment, I wrote this entire chapter while listening to Disney music. I took me about half the time it normally does so I think I have found my writing music. Please keep reviewing (thank you janjan for reviewing every chapter from the beginging) and please vote in the poll.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9; Hermione

Despite the fact that she was a grown woman, a woman who was intelligent, proud and had seen far more than those twice her age, Hermione felt as though she was a 5th year again. Instead of having conflicting emotions over Victor though it was Malfoy, something she wouldn't dare admit to Harry or the Weasley's. Shaking her head to clear her thoughts she weaved her way through the mass of students to her office.

Today would be her first class with the seventh years and she would need all of her attention focused on them. This would be her hardest class, the one where she would be hard pressed to earn respect from those only a couple of years younger than she. It was one thing for a peer to as smart as the teachers, it was another for that peer to become their teacher. Only those with the highest marks would be in this class, a majority of them would be those who had fought in the war; a mix of Gryphindors, Ravenclaws, Huflepuffs and Slytherins.

Standing up and smoothing her hair Hermione determinedly strode into the half full class, glancing around she realized that while it wasn't as big as she had thought it would be there was still a fairly large group of students for being in an advanced class. Fighting the urge to sigh Hermione made her way to her desk at the top of the circular desk set up.

"Welcome to Defense Against the Dark Arts, as you can see I have my classroom set up in way that many of you have not seen before. This is for a couple of reasons; first because it is an more interactive set up, an imperative to make sure you properly understand both concepts and practical use of the material. Second is because I want to be able to see all of you and for all of you to see each other." Pausing to take a breath Hermione gestured to the desks, "I want an even number of students on each side of me; leave the desks opposite of me empty. This is a small class and there is no reason for anyone not be able to see or hear or for us to have to yell. Now please find you're seats, if I have to I will move you around."

Resting her hands on her desk she waited for everyone to take their seats, pleased to see that she wouldn't have to move anyone closer to her but also aware that she may have to integrate her students more as they were all clearly defined into house groups. Of course the Gryffindors and Slytherins were nowhere near each other but it still concerned her that things seemed to be so segregated despite the end of the war.

"I know that most of you know me as a peer. I'm sure that it will be difficult but I expect all of you to set an example and treat me as Professor Granger at all times. I will not put up with house divisions in my class. The war is over. Things have changed and when you enter the real world no one will care what house you were in at Hogwarts, what they will care about is how proficient you are at your job. In order to be proficient you will have to get along with those that you would not normally associate with." Looking every student in the eye she licked her lips before daring to open her lips again. Silently she prayed that Drac- Malfoy would be okay with this. "All of you know that while in school I did not get along well with those in Slytherine, particularly Professor Malfoy. We are now collogues; we must let go of old prejudices and move on from past transgressions. Believe me when I say that we were equally cruel to each other. I would like to break you of these habits now, and for you to provide an example for the younger years.

"That aside I believe we are ready to begin."

()()()()()

To be quiet honest her first class with the seventh years had gone both better and worse than she had expected. For the most part they had listened to her speech and then gave her the respect she had demanded, on the other hand however both the Slytherins and the Gryffindors had been more than displeased at her attempts to bridge the gaps between them. No matter what she had tried the handful of Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs had continued to act as a buffer between the two houses as well as between her and her Slytherin students.

Massaging her forehead lightly Hermione took her seat in the Great Hall beside Malfoy, he seemed to be waiting for her as he had nothing on his plate and appeared to be sipping at a glass of water. He too seemed slightly out of sorts, and if the whispers in the halls were anything to go by he appeared to be more than filling the shoes of Snape. For the first time she realized that Snape had not just been his head of house, a family friend and someone who had looked out for him; Severous Snape had been his god-father. Deciding that it would be best to leave that topic alone for the time being she offered him a small smile.

"If your glower is anything to go by I'd say that you had the same kind of morning I did Malfoy." Hermione's smile grew at the classic eye roll that he returned.

"If anything Miss. Granger I'd say that my morning was worse than yours; first years, third years and fifth years. The whole lot of them are imbeciles. I think I shall have to force them to leave their wands on my desk from the beginning to end of class." The irritated glint in his eye made her think that he was only half joking, and might actually enforce such a rule.

"Let me guess, a fifth year thought that he could hasten his potion by magically cutting and dicing his ingredients?"

"Close actually, it was a girl. She then told me that she had heard that Hermione Granger did it while she was in school and that was what made all of her potions so good." Hermione had the good grace to blush, before starting to place items on her plate.

"Well, I'm sure just as many things are said of you amongst those from your house. The girl was a Gryffindor?" As he smirked at her, she felt an unfamiliar tug towards the man who had been her childhood nemesis.

"Excellent guess Hermione… Is that really all that you are going to eat? I was serious when I told you that you looked rather thin, too thin honestly."

Hermione looked down at her plate, it was maybe half full and most of that was a salad that she had put together and a few pieces of ripe mango; her favorite fruit. A part of her was still indignant that he was bringing up her physic, no matter that they were civil now- almost what she might call friendly, it was not any of his concern in her mind. After all wasn't it enough to have Harry, George and Charlie riding her about eating more? And that Mrs. Weasley sent her care packages filled with sweets meant to entice her to eat and put on more weight. She could handle calling him calling her by her first name, and she would try to extend the same courtesy back, but talking about something that intimate would not be accepted.

"I am aware of my weight and eating habits Draco, however I would appreciate it if you would refrain from mentioning it. There are enough people who are continuously reminding me of it with out you as well." She hoped that by using his name that he would not take to much offense but kept her eyes on her plate none the less. By doing so she missed the flash of anger, concern and possession in Draco's eyes.

Nodding his head even though he knew she would not see it Draco took a sip of water, "I'll leave it alone from now on, as long as you keep eating. They don't see you everyday or I'm sure that they would be getting after you more for it. But fine, I promise to not bring it up if you promise to put more effort into eating."

Looking up at Draco, Hermione nodded her head then took a bite of food. It was disconcerting to have Draco Malfoy make the effort to look after her, and if she wasn't sure that she was reading too much into things she might believe that he cared for her more than what a friend might. Of course that was rather silly though, and the pair sat through the rest of lunch silently eating their meal.

()()()()()

After lunch she and Draco had parted their ways, him to his office and she to hers. Neither mentioned anything about dinner, Draco knowing that he would sit beside her and Hermione figuring that at this point the last seat at the Professors table was indeed hers.

She knew that she ought to work on her lesson plans, but if she were honest with herself she knew that she would end up working some more on that book. Deciding that she would be less distracted if she would just get the infernal book out of the way Hermione moved to the comfy chair by her office fire place, using a non verbal spell to light the fire. With the book laying on her lap she tried to open it to the table of contents once again before switching tactics to getting to the back of the book to read the index. It still wouldn't work, the book remaining opened at chapter seven. Clearly whoever had left her the book had intended that she read that chapter meaning that it must be somewhat important.

Swallowing her anal tendencies Hermione curled further into her chair, getting comfortable for what was surely to be a long afternoon reading the mystery book. The book really was interesting enough that if she had found it on her own she would have read it anyway; however, the mystery of how the book got into her room, who had put it there and why it had been deemed so important that she read chapter seven first increased the draw of the book. As she read the book Hermione's brow began to furrow and her full lips to purse if she was reading this correctly, and doubtlessly she was, it seemed that the man in her nightly dream was actually a real person. Who ever he was he quiet simply was not the coping mechanism she had convinced herself he was.

He, who ever this he was, had managed to pull her from her nightmare something that she had been unable to do for herself no matter how many times she had tried. He was clearly the one who controlled their shared dreams as well. Closing the book with a snap Hermione checked her watch before deciding that she had enough time before dinner to owl Harry quickly. He would be able tell George and Charlie for her and then they could meet somewhere to discuses the mess. Looking back to her previous dreams she realized that who ever the man was he had done nothing to hurt her, in fact he had gone out of his way to help her the night before. That really only left her with one question; who was he?

Standing up she started to pace the length of her office, thinking about how she should phrase her letter to Harry in order to prevent him from storming the castle with a team of aurors in tow while still conveying the importance of the situation to him. Finally sitting down while letting out a slow breath Hermione picked up her quill and parchment.

**Harry,**

** Thing's have been going well since your last visit, I think I might have even put on a couple of pounds before you even think about asking. I've been sleeping better too which is why I'm writing you. You, Charlie, George and I need to meet up for dinner sometime soon; you know I'm available just about any night so really it is up to the schedules of you boys. **

** Tell Ginny, Molly and Author I miss them and that I will stop by for a Sunday dinner next weekend.**

**I miss you all and hope to see you soon, Mione**

Folding up the parchment Hermione left her office to go to the owlery to send her letter and then go to dinner. Now that she thought about it she was rather famished and could hardly wait to eat.

()()()()()

Smiling as Draco took his seat beside her Hermione wrinkled her nose slightly, a strange smell seemed to be coming off of him masking his natural scent that she enjoyed so much. The thought caused her to freeze, she didn't remember ever noticing how he smelt let alone enjoying it. Using a shaking hand she brought her glass of water to her lips to take a sip.

"Sorry I'm late, Madame Pomfrey need some more counter potions to the Weasley's blasted puking beans. No matter what Filch does students still seem to be able to sneak them in." Draco's voice came out a little less strained than it had at lunch though and he began filling his plate with healthy portions of food.

"You won't hate me then if I tell you that I know for a fact that Charlie recently figured out how to get around the counter potion then? Of course these new beans are a little more expensive than the old ones…" A teasing smile lit Hermione's face as she too began to fill her plate. A pointed look from Draco made her spoon a little extra casserole on her plate and take a bite before he would reply.

"Of course he did. I hate to say it but that family has so much wasted potential, both of them could be highly successful as potion masters or healers. I suppose this means that I ought to scare some first years into giving me one of whole beans in order to fix the potion then."

"Or you could just go to the store and buy one, that's what I had to do after George turned my skin green from one of their "Witchy Delight Chocolates". And one might make the argument that their joke shop has done just as much healing as anyone at St. Mungos'. Haven't you heard that laughter is the best medicine?" Draco smirked as he finished chewing and swallowing his bite of food.

"I haven't heard that before but I have heard of placebos… Did he really turn you green? Like in one of those Muggle cartoons that depicts witches as green with warts on their faces?"

Hermione nodded while laughing softly, who would have thought that Draco would be able to make her laugh just as easily as any of the boys? Amidst their teasing and smiles, neither noticed the pensive stare emitting from Headmistress McGonagall.

()()()()()

Curling into her bed Hermione wondered if she would see the man again in her dreams, logically the pattern said that she would see him again as he had visited her every night since the first time. Tucking her hands under her chin with her thick blankets she waited to fall asleep knowing that once she lay down it took only minutes to fall asleep. The next time she opened her eyes sure enough she was in the garden and on their swing, swaying as he pushed her gently.

"I know that you're real. Are you the one that sent me the book? So that I would realize that?" Pausing she tilted her head to the side before continuing, "I feel rather silly now that I know. I should have realized it earlier, shouldn't I?"

The man rested his hands on her hips pulling her back against his chest to whisper in her ear, "Given the circumstances I think that it is okay that you didn't figure it out with out the help of the book. Does it really matter if I was the one who sent you the book?"

Hermione shivered when his lips brushed her ear, all the while restraining the urge to lean into him. "It matters because you got into my room. In Hogwarts. And you won't tell me who you are. Are you going to tell me now?"

"I think that I'm going to wait for you to figure that out as well, you need a little distraction to get you through the day I think." He was smirking against the back of her head with enough pressure that she could feel it. Frustrated she jerked away slightly and he resumed pushing her back and forth on the swing.

Looking at her lap she admired the silky feel of the cotton dress against her thighs and the pretty pale pink flower design that was printed on a pure white. "Do you enjoy dressing me? It is always a dress, and almost always sunny."

"I enjoy clothing you in pretty things. You deserve it Hermione Granger, you deserve the best and I will always make sure that you have the best." This time Hermione jerked so hard that she fell off the swing and onto the soft grass.

"I will figure out who you are. We will figure it out. And you are going to regret ever thinking of invading my dreams." Her voice was filled with irrational anger that was fueled partly by fear and partly by curiosity, and she began to shake as the garden started to go dark.

"I hope you do 'Mione, I really hope you do."

()()()()()

Here's the deal, I am leaving the poll up for one more week and so far 75% of you are against including poems. I use 75% as an extremely loose statistic because only 12 people have voted, and there are over 200 people who have alerted or favorited I Will Have You. With out giving too much away about how I would use these short poems (no more than 8 lines) they could become as important as Draco and Hermione's shared dreams. All I'm asking is that you tell me what you want; I don't care if you tell me in a review, vote using the poll or simply PM me. Just tell me.

I know that I'm late again as well, and I'm sorry for it. Unfortunately I was really sick, I still kind of am, and I had to take a Trig. exam. Is it pathetic? Yes. Do I feel bad? Yes. Is there anything I could have done about it? Not really. Once again I'm sorry, and please let me know how you feel about the direction of I Will Have You. Also I have need of a beta or two as I am now beta-less, if anyone is able to please let me know it is greatly appreciated. Obviously I am responsible for all errors as this has not been edited by anyone but me.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10; Draco

Holding Hermione's shirt under his nose Draco inhaled the sweet natural scent that seemed to cling to anything his mate touched. Even as his body relaxed and he started to produce a soft purr like sound from his chest he knew that the bliss would not last long. Already the scent on Hermione's shirt was fading and just minutes ago she had promised that she would find out who he was, or rather the man in her dreams. Eventually he did want her to find out, but it would have to be on his terms and when he was ready. She seemed to be warming up to him during their shared meals but the dream had been a minor set back.

He had the most honest, brilliant and true mate a veela could wish for, but the traits that she exhibited were also the ones she expected others to exude. And while he was brilliant and loyal, honesty did not make the list of his better traits. What he was doing to her, and what he planned to do to her, were testament to that fact. He was withholding the truth from her, he was manipulating her and if his wooing failed he would entrap her. They only had a few months left and with their new responsibilities as professors Draco had been unable to make as much head way as he had hoped to.

Unable to sleep Draco rolled out of bed, pulling on a pair of black silk pajama pants and a bedroom robe he cast a disillusionment charm before leaving his room. Even though he was a professor it would be hard to explain to other professors why he was patrolling at 2am, let alone why he was far away from any of the students dorms. Besides there was certain amount of boyish fun in sneaking into his loves room, even if she was unaware and did not yet see him the same way. Thankfully it seemed that Filch and his infernal flea bag were patrolling the night time haunts of students rather than the remote hall on the third floor were Hermione's room was.

With a slightly more advanced unlocking spell the veela snuck into his mates room, shutting and locking the door behind him. On second thought he shot a silent acio to the sweat shirt he had swiped from Hermione's bathroom, catching the worn piece of fabric. Inside her room it was even more obvious how much the scent had faded off of the article of clothing and Draco was breathing deeply through his nose as if he couldn't get enough of it. Hermione was deep in sleep if the soft snores emitting from the curled up mass on her bed were anything to go by. Silently and carefully he moved over to her bed, it was smaller than his and she seemed to take as little space as possible on the mattress.

All that showed from her blankets was her hair and her face from nose up. Unable to stop himself Draco reached his hand out, his finger running from the bridge of her symmetrical nose to the cute upturned tip. From there his fingers drifted to her wild, curly hair. He had almost forgotten what it looked like long as she had been pulling it back in to prim buns while teaching, occasionally he would catch her rearranging it and tucking stubborn curls behind her ear. Draco loved her hair; it was silky, smooth and represented her perfectly. He couldn't wait for the time when he would feel it tickling his chest as she rode him, working both of them to the pinnacle of their pleasure.

Pulling back to focus on the reason he had come to Hermione's room Draco returned her sweatshirt to her laundry basket, this time taking a simple set of black robes that he had found to be unflattering on her as well as worn. He would send in for a new set for her to replace these ones, maybe two he mussed. It wouldn't do for him to let his mate want for anything and he certainly had enough money to buy her a country if she wished for one.

Folding the set of robes over his arm Draco set about completing his second task; finding the book he had previously left for Hermione. After looking over her book shelves, personal desk, and the end tables scattered about her room he figured that she had left else where; most likely her office. Walking back over to her once more he lightly kissed her forehead before leaving her room, locking the door behind him.

()()()()()

Shutting the door to his room Draco removed the disillusionment charm, taking off his robe and pants and instead wrapping the robe he had taken from Hermione around himself before getting back into his bed. If he went to sleep now then he could get in another two hours of sleep before starting his day. He had been able to get into Hermione's office the same way that he got into her room and from there it had taken him only seconds to find the book sitting on a table next to a large chair by the fireplace.

It made him smile to think of all the time his mate had wasted trying to open to the beginning of the book rather than just reading chapter seven like he had obviously intended she do. He wondered how she would react when only chapter 12 would open now. With the hints in that chapter she would hopefully figure out that the man in her dreams was not exactly a man but something more, and with that in mind would begin research to figure out what magical beings had the appearance of wizards but were something more.

Because her insatiable need to know everything, her intense curiosity, and her research skills he figured that it might take a week for her to figure it out. From there on out it would become a guessing game for her to figure out who he was, and by that point he hoped to have her in lust with the real him and obsessed with the dream him. Of course if all else failed he would still have the law to fall back on. Even with her scent surrounding him he found it difficult to concentrate, it seemed that maybe sooner rather than later he would have mate with her. His inner veela was becoming more insistent that they took what was theirs and that there was no need for either one of them to suffer when all they had to do was be together.

()()()()()

When Draco next woke his fathers impatient owl was hooting, quietly insisting that the letter attached to his foot was removed. Running his hand through his messy blonde hair he deftly removed the piece of parchment and sat down on the edge of his bed to read it.

**Draco,**

**Your Mother and I have become increasingly worried about your progress with Miss Granger, with what we have heard from those who know you we are concerned that your health has begun to deteriorate**. **It might be in the better interest of you, your mate and your bond to invoke the law in order to seal your bond. Those who wait too long to bond with their mates have been known to have weaker bonds and their mates a more difficult pregnancy. I believe that your Grandparents may have been one of those cases, as we are both aware that it is rare for a veela to have only one child with their mate. Both your Mother and I hope that this will put things into better prospective and that this letter meets you well. **

**Your Father, Lucius Malfoy**

Draco let the letter fall from his hands, eyes locked dejectedly on the carpeted floor before him. He wanted to wait for Hermione to be ready so that there would be no animosity between them in their bonding. He didn't want it to come at the cost to their bond or the health of _her_ and their children, if that were to happen he didn't know if he would be able to handle it. At the same time he longed to strangle the person who had told his parents that he did not seem well, it was with that illogical thought that Draco stood.

Moving to stand in front of his window he placed his hand flat against it, breathing heavily and unsure of how to deal with his sudden anger. Malfoy's were many things but they were not this… emotional, so easy to shake, or so guilelessly open with themselves. Who ever it was that had told his parents that something was off with him were correct, he was becoming increasingly uncontrollable the longer Hermione and he went unmated. Soon, it would start to affect her, and with what appeared to be PSTD one could never know how she would react. Draco restrained a growl of irritation, no matter what he did he would cause harm to his mate. It was his job, his duty, to provide for her and protect her; that included making decisions such as these. As he struggled with his thoughts he began to get ready for his day, he would have his second, fourth and sixth year classes to day with a longer lunch. That would also give him more time to sort things out, and to see Blaise.

Hermione would be upset if she were unable to have children, he couldn't see her wanting more than a small handful but she would certainly want them. If she found out that by putting off their mating their chances of having healthy children would decrease she would want them to mate sooner. Even if she was upset now, over time she would forgive him and she would see that he didn't want it that way either but that it was for the best. Shrugging on his robe and looking in the mirror Draco eased the grown off his face; the next week would be critical for Hermione and his bonding and he would not let her know that anything was wrong.

Without a backward glance Draco left his rooms, simultaneously excited to see his mate and worried about how she would react when the seemingly inevitable future arrived.

()()()()()

When he finally made it to the Great Hall Draco was unsurprised to see that Hermione had beat him there, as he walked up to his seat beside her he took the chance to take her in again. It seemed that she had battled with her hair again before deciding that it was useless as she had it pulled back from her face in a pony tail rather then her standard bun. Looking closer he realized that she seemed to have more energy even if her skin was a little pale. A she took a sip of her morning tea, she noticed him a smile turning up the corners of her lips and her subtle grace seemed a lot less subtle to him.

"Good morning Hermione, you are looking lovely today. Could it be that you did something different with your lively hair?" The teasing lilt and words slipped easily from his lips as he took his seat, pleased when she began to pour him his tea just the way he liked it.

"Oh, you mean the bushy bane of my existence? I do believe I recall you teasing me for it in the past Draco." Her hand self consciously ran the length of it before she could stop her self, "It seems to have grown resilient to being confined. You look rather well rested yourself." Nodding his thanks for preparing his tea, he smiled as she ducked her head to hide her blush. He wondered how far her blush went before he could stop himself and prevent his growing problem.

He had done very well thus far in preventing himself from having thoughts that went along those lines until now, and he wondered if it was another sign that he was waiting too long. "Well I think it looks good down, but you should be careful so as not to attract the attention of some of the older boys in your classes. We have both been lucky so far, all of the students are too scared of either of us to cause problems."

"I've been giving each of my classes a speech before we do anything, and moving them around so they can not divide themselves according to houses. You wouldn't believe how many times I've had to explain that the war is over to some of them." Watching as she took a delicate bite of her porridge, Draco allowed their conversation to wane as he ate a few bites as well.

A few minutes latter he watched curiously as an owl landed next to Hermione, there was nothing special about it but from the way she feed it a piece of her toast he figured that she new the owner. After untying the letter she gave an apologetic sigh to him, "I know that they are well trained but I hate that they come during meals. I don't think I will ever forget when Earl, the Weasley's owl, crashed into the table flinging food everywhere when Molly sent Ron that howler. I couldn't eat breakfast for a week after that…"

Draco remembered that day, he and other Slytherins had made jokes about it for weeks and it still made him smile. He still noticed how her smile faded at the mention of the youngest Weasley boy, he had forgotten how close all three of them had been. In the papers it was always Hermione and Potter with some other Weasley, all smiling with each other or remaining stoic when they realized the photographers were there. The group never did answer the reporters questions and if anything one of them would distract the reporters while the other two would take Hermione else where.

Reaching out Draco placed his hand on top of Hermione's, "You miss him don't you? Weasley, that is. After the war he sort of just disappeared and it was just Potter, you and two of the other Weasley boys."

"He had a horrible temper, always ate with his mouth open and never did his homework till last minute. I think I mostly miss what we had; after everything was over he couldn't handle it. Leaving was his best choice. If he ever wants to he knows that he has Harry and I to come back to." She didn't pull her hand away, though she seemed to be looking every where but at him.

"Yes, and you have people that will be there for you too, whether you realize it or not." Draco's ice grey eyes met her warm amber ones and wouldn't let her look away.

()()()()()

Cursing under his breath Draco stormed through the halls of St. Mungos, ignoring the calls of a medi witch following him. As soon as she had told him that Blaise was working in one of the experimental labs he began walking towards them. After breakfast with Hermione his day had rapidly deteriorated beginning with two sixth year Slytherins who thought that it would be funny to charm a Huffelpuff girls ingredients to float around the room. In the end he had to dismiss the class early and gave both boys a weeks worth of detentions in addition to docking 25 house points apiece. Not only that but he was having a harder time relaxing when he couldn't see Hermione, which brought him back to replying to his fathers letter- something that he was loath to do.

Still ignoring the calls of the huffy witch behind him Draco knocked on the office door that was labeled Blaise Zabini, offering an roll of his eyes when the mousey witch behind him gasped for breath as she attempted to explain things to Blaise.

"I ," gasp, "tried to-"cough, "stop him sir," pause, "but" gasp, "he wou-"

Blaise interrupted her detachedly, "I'm sure you did Clara, everything fine now though so you may go back to your desk." Not waiting to see if she left the pair entered his office and he promptly broke into a smile. "If you had owled ahead I could have told the receptionist that I was expecting you and saved her the trouble of trying to prevent you from finding me."

"If she didn't want me to find you she shouldn't have said where you were, she must have been a Huffelpuff to be that dense. She was practically asking for someone to do that to her." While Draco took a seat Blaise proceeded to pour them both a small glass of fire whiskey.

"That isn't why you came though, if this was purely social you would have just flooed into my drawing room latter tonight. What is it you want Draco."

Accepting the glass Draco took a sip, welcoming the burn as Blaise sat down. "I was wondering how your work with integrating muggle and wizarding healing techniques. Hermione said that you have enough results in your treatment of PTSD that you could easily start using it on those who are suffering from it if Kingsley would just approve it."

"Hermione told you that? She really did a lot of the ground work on the project, but so far she has been pretty shut lipped about it. Not even Kingsley knows, even though she has sent enough owls to him about it that he should have figured it out by now." Blaise shook his head taking a slow sip of his fire whiskey, "We could help a lot of people if he would just sign off on it, we've done more for those patients in three months than those who haven't received it in the last six months."

"We talked about it yesterday, do you know why she is so interested in it?" It was Draco's Slytherin way of asking if he knew that Hermione suffered from PTSD, he hadn't yet decided if he intended to tell Blaise if he didn't already know.

"I think she has been trying to self medicate herself. If what I think are symptoms are then I'd say she has it herself, I'm almost positive she does. If she doesn't it would be a miracle; she spent years submerged in a war that was first fought in secret and then openly and more violently than before." Skulling the rest of his drink he stared pointedly at Draco.

"She's the one. I've known for months now, we are both starting to show signs of strain from not being mated but she's not ready for it yet." Imitating his best friend Draco swallowed the remainder of the fire whiskey. "Why hasn't she come to you for help?"

Blaise appeared to be unsurprised, nodding his head again. "She spent a lot of time taking care of Weasley and Potter, it's hard for her to accept help after being the one to always offer it. I've thought about trying to do an intervention but she has Potter and the Weasleys convinced that she is handling everything."

"She's not though, I've been trying to get her to eat more and for the most part it seems to be working. She might have put on three pounds since coming to Hogwarts." Draco stood up taking Blaise's glass with his own and pouring them both refills.

"Doesn't matter, what ever she is doing is only going to help temporarily. She hasn't acknowledged that she has a problem and until she does she won't get any better." Blaise promptly took another swig when Draco handed him back his glass, he really shouldn't be surprised that Hermione was his mate; after all they were academically matched, their personalities would compliment and they were both beautiful people. He felt a pang of jealousy; he would never be as sure of his love as they would be of each other.

"Do you think that together we could get her to accept help? I had to pull her out of a night terror a couple of nights ago, I'm pretty sure they were commonplace before I started dream weaving for the two of us." Draco imitated Blaise taking another deep drink from his glass.

Blaise shrugged his shoulders, a long time habit he had yet to break, "Maybe once you two are closer, when I tried to approach her she disappeared for a week and wouldn't talk to me for a month. I don't think you want to take that chance just yet. After you're bonded she will listen to you more."

"What can I do to help her now then?"

"Make sure she is sleeping enough, keep her eating, try to get her to talk about things even if she is under the impression that it is to help you. She will be more willing to talk that way." Mentally making a list Draco spent the rest of his extended lunch drinking with Blaise and talking about what he could do to help his mate.

()()()()()

Moving briskly through the halls looking like a more handsome and pale Severus Snape Draco just barely over heard the conversation between the same two boys he had reprimanded earlier that morning.

"I'd like to string the mudblood up by her hair, the nerve of her to tell us that we must sit next to someone from another house. There is a reason we are Slytherins; we are superior. McGonagall must be daft if she thinks that the school board will stand to have the swot teaching us."

"String her up by her hair? I'd much rather cut it off and hang her by an ankle, that would put her in the place damned Princess of Gryffindor or not-"

Draco pulled out his wand casting a non-verbal silencing spell on the pair before waving his wand and sending them flying into a stone corridor wall. "You are imbeciles." Another wave of his wand and they went flying to the other side of the corridor. "If I ever hear you call her that again I will have you expelled." Flipping his wand in the other direction and the pair somersaulted in opposite directions before crashing into each other on the way back after bouncing off a wall.

So enthralled in exacting his revenge Draco failed to notice when a student ran off to find another professor or that his veela side was in control, his eyes turning storm cloud grey and skin growing paler. "If I ever hear you threaten her again I will kill you." With that the boys were dropped about three feet to the ground.

"Draco, what on earth are you doing?" Spinning around Draco faced his mate, her face pale, horrified and disappointed. As he came back into control of himself he moved just quickly enough to catch her before she hit the floor.

()()()()()

Well. That wrote it's self. I don't think it followed my outline at all, in fact I'd say my outline was flushed down the toilet. I posted this one day early in thanks to everyone that has reviewed; chapter nine got 16 reviews, the most of any chapter other than the first. I don't count about half of those though as they came after other chapters were posted. Anyway, thank you everyone who has reviewed and told me what they think about poems. Also this is my longest chapter yet, nearly 4,000 words, quite a leap from the barley over 1,000 from chapter one. Again this chapter has been edited by no one but me so most of the errors that I have missed will be grammatical, something that spell-check does not catch for those of you who seem to think it does. In fact, it has been known to be wrong on that sort of thing. If anyone is interested in beta-ing please let me know, as many of you have noticed I certainly need one.

I hope you enjoy this installment of I Will Have You, relentlesslybrash


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11; Hermione

The little orb of white slowly grew, spreading out until Hermione realized that it was not an orb but her vision coming back. As her vision came back the buzzing in her ears faded too, and she couldn't for the life of her remember what happened. She had been enraged- and disappointed, but there had been something else there as well; shock, regret and fear. It hadn't felt like her though, more like someone else was projecting their emotions onto her. She didn't have time to question it however, as Charlie's face appeared in front of her and he nudged someone who then ran off.

"Thank Merlin you're awake, we had no idea why you fainted. Harry was sure it was foul play…" He slowed his words when he noticed her crinkled brow, "Am I going too fast for you?" Hermione licked her dry lips trying to sit up only to be held back by a restraining arm.

"You shouldn't sit up yet, Potter and the other one will be back with Madame Pomfrey. She won't let you leave until tomorrow I'm sure." She quickly laid back when she realized it was Draco who was holding her back and looked at Charlie instead.

"The other one is George, Malfoy. We all have names and we look different enough that you should know our names by now. I hate to say but he's probably right love, we can sneak in to stay though if you'd like. We can have that talk Harry says you've been itching for." Licking her lips again Hermione looked for something to drink, picking up the half full glass that was sitting on the table next to her bed. When Draco tried to help her she pulled sharply away, pretending that she didn't hear the low growl in response.

Looking at Charlie he wordlessly braced her back so that she could sit partially up, his other hand helping her to steady the cup. After finishing the glass she laid back down, still somewhat confused, "That would be good; we have a lot to talk about." Even after the water her voice was hoarse and scratchy, making both of the men next her wince. Not looking at Draco she parted her lips to speak again, "Why is he here? Didn't they tell you what he did to those boys?"

Charlie's normally cheerful face turned to Draco, his eyes narrowed and brow furrowed. "He's the one who carried you here; he told us that you were friends. Do you want me to make him leave?" Barely waiting for her nod yes he stood, crossing his arms in a way that displayed his large muscles. Even though Draco was taller there was doubt that Charlie's strong build and years of experience would win.

Draco's eyes were fixed on his mate, the grey locked on her mess of brown curls as if he stared at her hard enough answers would come to him. Reaching a hand out to touch her once more, flinching when she pulled away, he stood. "This once I'll leave her, only because I know that you are here to look after her. Next time I will stay, no matter what anyone says. That's a promise Mione." Standing gracefully Draco moved to the door, pausing to hold it open when Harry, George, Madame Promfrey and the Headmistress walked in. Not looking back he strode out.

"She has finally woke up then, I don't even know where to start with you young lady." At Madame Promfrey's brisk tone and glare Hermione felt herself sink further into her bed. Scooting over at Harry's nudge, she bumped her hip against Charlie's who had reseated himself next her on the bed when Draco left. Somehow she ended up propped half on Harry and half on Charlie with George seated on the other side of Harry. "We were all under the impression that you had started putting on weight Ms. Granger, but when I started running diagnostics I found that you have actually lost three more pounds. I couldn't figure out why you looked better until I called the Headmistress who then removed no less than five glamour charms."

Hermione cringed, sure that whatever Harry and the Weasleys' would do wouldn't hold a candle to what Draco would surely do once he found out. The tensing of the boys and the concerned look on McGonagall's face made her close her eyes, the guilt causing her look shamefaced. "Dear, we can not allow you to keep teaching if your health continues to deteriorate." McGonagall's tone was as caring as it ever was but the disappointment still there made her sink further into her bed.

"You said that you were doing better; that you were eating and sleeping, Hermione. Why would you say that if it wasn't true?" Hermione tucked her head under Harry's chin, not quiet sure what he wanted her to say. "I just want you to tell me the truth and admit you need help."

"I was doing better, really I was; being back at Hogwarts and teaching is so much better than, no offense Harry, sitting around all day doing absolutely nothing. Up until the last few days I'd been feeling better; eating and sleeping. It's just that you always want me to eat and I'm not hungry. Or you want me to sleep and I'm not tired." She whispered as Harry's hand started its smooth path rubbing up and down her back, trying to sooth her, her spin stuck out enough that he could have counted every bone without touching her and he tried not to think about it.

"Are you still working with Zabini? According to Kingsley he cited you as a major contributor in the study of using muggle and wizarding healing techniques to help those suffering from PTSD." Harry had heard the same thing from the witches and wizards who had been receiving the treatment and all of them were doing better than those who only got wizarding treatments.

"Blaise and I had a disagreement about a diagnosis he made. I've talked to him since but I still send him research and owl Kingsley when I have the time." Hermione's voice was tired and held iron in her tone; everyone knew that she wasn't going to say another word about it.

"Poppy wants to put you on a meal plan Hermione. Three meals a day and nutrient supplements, we know that you are having problems eating enough food so she wants to ease you into it by slowing increasing your serving sizes until you are back up to a normal weight and no longer need nutrient supplements. I want you to take a mild sleeping potion at night and you to sleep at least six hours every night. If you swear to do this you can continue to teach. I won't have a sickly teacher on my staff; do you understand Professor?" Opening her eyes and looking at her friends the group of them glaring at her as if to cow her into it she nodded.

"I promise." No sooner than she had uttered the words and Hermione drifted off back into a light slumber, not noticing the wave of Madame Pomfrey's wand that put her out.

()()()()()

While Hermione slept the group discussed what had happened, their voices quiet so as not to disturb their sleeping patient.

"She is showing the signs of post traumatic stress disorder Potter, and it is surprising that you haven't noticed theses symptoms. Any of you for that matter, look at her; she is underweight, not sleeping and violence scares her enough to cause her to pass out. I'd say that she is still eating and sleeping the way she did while you were on the run during her seventh year and we are lucky that she didn't start hexing Draco as if it was still the war. She likely thought that she was in the battle again, helpless as to how to aid her peers." The head nurse covered her mouth, pacing and staring at the emaciated girl on the bed.

"No, she's just stressed out, she has a lot of responsibilities now that she didn't before. There is no way that she has that." Harry's voice was hard and desperate, refusing to believe that anything was wrong with his best friend no matter the evidence before him.

"I bet that was the disagreement that she had with Zabini, Harry. She avoids loud places too, always leaves dinners with mum early because she has something or other to do. By the time we are all done eating her face is pale and you can tell she needs to leave but wants to stay; she hates it." George couldn't help but think that Harry was denying Hermione's problem because if he admitted she had one he would feel it was his fault.

"Whenever you try to talk to her about her nightmares or not eating she changes the subject or tells you to just leave it alone. She has a problem, and until all of us admit it she will not." Charlie continued to look at Hermione, sounding like he was working things out in his head as he spoke.

McGonagall simply stared at Harry a concerned look coming over her face. "You're not thinking that if there is something wrong with Hermione that she will leave, are you? She would never leave you Potter, if she didn't follow Ronald when he left then nothing will ever separate you. You two share a bond: you are each other's family. You have experienced the same loses, you have protected each other, and above all you love each other the way that only a brother can love his sister and vice versa.

"Your adamence that Hermione is simply stressed is selfish and causing her further harm. You need to be her brother and take care of her the way that she has always taken care of you; tell her that she is not well and that you will make sure that she gets better. Can you do that?" With his gaze darting between the old Headmistress and his sister in every way but blood or name, Harry shakily said yes.

()()()()()

The next time Hermione woke up she was alone with her friends, Harry and Charlie both asleep while George was sitting beside her reading. "What have you found that has you so entrapped? I don't think I've ever seen the great joker George Gideon Weasley so engrossed in a book."

"It's the book that Harry said you found laying on your bed with no note or indication of how it got there. Have you read chapter 12 yet? I haven't managed to get it to open to any other chapter and decided it would be better to simply read it instead." At George's serious words Hermione's teasing smile faded.

"You said it only opens to chapter 12 now? Before it would only open to chapter seven-" Harry's yawn interrupted Hermione and she smiled fondly over at him, "He always seems to wake up with things get interesting doesn't he?" The chuckles from the pair and Harry's embarrassed blushing did nothing to wake Charlie up.

"Yes well, Charlie seems to always sleep through the interesting things leaving us to catch him up when he finally decides to join the living." Harry's voice was gravely from just waking making Hermione and Georges smiles grow.

"I think that this is a time when we are just going to have to wake him up. George, would you do the honors?" It took him less than ten seconds to have the second oldest Weasley jumping to his feet.

"Bloody hell George what did you do that for?" The soaking ginger yelled, however at the peals of laughter that were coming from Harry and Hermione he too began to laugh. "Well there was a reason you woke me up wasn't there?"

"Besides it's entertainment purposes yes, actually. We're going to have the talk that Hermione has kept us waiting for." As high as their spirits had been George's words had a sobering effect on all of them.

"I guess I should start in the beginning huh?" For the next half hour Hermione sat in her hospital bed, carefully explaining everything she knew about her dreams to the boys and her theories on what it would all mean.

"It's rather odd isn't it how the day after you finish the reading the chapter that he obviously wanted you to read the book only opens to another one. I think he's toying with you." Harry stated, arms crossed defensively across his chest as if he could intimidate the source of their current problem.

"No, he wants her to figure out who he is; the chapter 12 is all about intelligent magical beings who can reach out to others through dreams. There are some who do it with cruel intentions but a reoccurring theme is that they are reaching out to family, friends or mates, some can dream weave exclusively with their mates. And whoever it is clearly does not mean her ill will; he pulled out of a nightmare." Harry seemed to ignore most of what George said, the auror in him already making a list of suspects to investigate. Hermione on the other hand cringed.

"He doesn't have to be anything to me emotionally George; he could just be someone I helped during the war or need my help now. Especially if he is more than a wizard, if he can reach out to friends it would be fair to say that with a lot of effort that he could reach out to someone who is not a friend." Hermione sounded hopeful at best, even she knowing that her theory was just as weak as Harry's.

"Hermione, you are a beautiful woman; who ever he is he is wooing you. If wizards weren't half so intimidated by you Harry, George and I would be hexing wizards every other day. He always puts you in romantic settings and he even said that he would give you the best of everything. He wants you. What are the beings that fit the profile for reaching out to their mates or women they would mate with?" She ducked her head at Charlie's rather biased statement of her appearance; she knew that she wasn't beautiful as he had said, though she was far from ugly.

"I'm telling you that whoever is doing this is trying to lull her into a false sense of security, for all we know he could be a rouge Death Eater or some other criminal who wants a piece of the famous Hermione Granger." Jumping to his feet Harry began to pace, "Rabastan Lestrange, Throfinn Rowle or one of the Malfoys. It could be anyone of them or the countless others that we never could find or prove in court to be Death Eaters."

"Sit down, Harry. Let's rule out George's theory before we start accusing those who have been proved innocent or may be dead." Still glaring Harry obeyed his oldest friend, hating when she would ignore his hunches.

"Well the first one that comes up is veela, but they seldom wait this long to claim their mate and the pair would both start showing signs of going unmated for so long. A selkie is a possibility but they rarely take witch mates, same for fey even when they do their mates tend to have diluted fey in their blood and are either Irish or Scottish." Charlie nodded his head as George spoke, lifting his eye brow at the mention of selkies and fey.

"If those are the only ones who reach out to their mate through dreams I'd say we can rule out selkies. All of her dreams have been on land in a garden, if it was a selkie then they would take place in or by the ocean. There are a few families in the area who carry dominate veela blood, more in France… We should write Fluer and Bill, see if she knows of any families that have men who have recently come of age. If it is a veela he probably has a good reason for staying away; his family may have been on the wrong side of the war or he knows of our Hermione's temper." Charlie's light jab succeeded in making Hermione smile.

"We're Irish on my mom's side, a build up of residual fey magic could have resulted in a muggle born witch couldn't it? My moms' great aunt used to say that her grandmother married a fey. But my mom used to say that she could drink five men under, and still walk and talk." Hermione reached her hand out to Harry, trying to show him that she still loved him even if she wasn't sure of his theories.

The group had talked for another hour before the boy's were forced to leave by Madame Pomfrey. They promised that they would come back the next day with the intentions to finish their current discussion and then try to talk to Hermione about getting help. If she was to be honest she was exhausted so it wasn't a surprise that she fell asleep before Madame Promfrey could come back with food.

()()()()()

She was crying quietly, tears streaming down her face and into her matted hair. Bellatrix was standing above her, cackling about something though Hermione couldn't hear her. Then the crazed witch waved her wand and she felt that. Knives were stabbing, blood was bubbling and her entire body felt as though it was being electrocuted. As suddenly as the torture started it stopped and Hermione panted, trying to catch her breath. Before she could calm her heart beat Bellatrix kneeled next to her on the floor waving a knife in front of her face. She was still talking but she couldn't understand a word she was saying. In two cuts Hermione's shirt sleeve was gone and the knife was digging into her skin.

For what felt like hours Bella switched back and forth between curses and the knife, never giving her time to recover. Then just as quickly as everything started it stopped.

()()()()()

Draco pulled Hermione more fully onto his lap, running a soothing hand over her forehead. He had felt the pull to her, stronger than it ever had been before. When he had arrived she had been tossing and turning, whimpering and gasping with tears leaking into her hair. She was having another nightmare.

There was nothing he could do about it this time, he wasn't asleep to pull her out of it and if he woke her up she would probably hex him. Not that she didn't have a good reason to do it… Running his hands over her body and murmuring that everything would be okay, that he was there, Draco tried all he could to sooth her. He realized that he had never tried to do that for another human being before, and most certainly he had never had needed to the way he did in that moment.

Just when he thought that nothing he could do would help Hermione opened her eyes for a second only to curl closer into him, wrapping his arm around her waist. Head on his chest she looked at peace for the first time since earlier that day when he had attacked the two boys. Draco hoped that someday she would look like that everyday and that it would be all because of him.

()()()()()

When the black faded to light Hermione was lying on a big bed, curled around a fair haired man. He was on his stomach an arm wrapped around her waist pulling her closer to him. Breathing him in she smiled; it was pure, clean and male. She couldn't get enough of it. Reaching a hand up to move the hair in his face out of the way she jerked slightly in surprise. It was Draco. It struck her again how handsome he was, almost angelic, with full lips slightly parted and a fair pink tint to his cheeks he did not look like the fierce man she had seen earlier that day.

A part of her wished that it had never happened and the man who was holding her close really was hers. Just as quickly as the image had appeared it faded, Draco slowly disappearing into nothing.

()()()()()

101 reviews. 108 favorites. 261 alerts. I am so flattered, and just rather amazed. A shout out to thebookworm90 who was the 100 reviewer, though all of your reviews are greatly appreciated. I feel ineloquent at the moment so I'll just bullet what I have left to say.

-I'd say we are close to the halfway point of this story and in the next couple of chapters Hermione will find out that she is Draco's mate.

-I'm still in dire need of a beta, if any of you can or know someone who can please let me know.

As always I hope to hear what you think and that you enjoyed this installment of I Will Have You.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12; Draco

Draco woke up with an easy smile on his face, his arm wrapped around his mate and her head resting on his chest above his heart. Looking at the messy curls that were spread across his chest he absentmindedly wondered what time it was, knowing that he would have to leave soon. As much as he would love to be able to close his eyes and go back to sleep and stay he knew she wouldn't like it. To see her now it painstakingly clear how thin she was her face was borderline gaunt and he could have measure how long each of her ribs were. Pressing a kiss to her forehead Draco carefully climbed out of her bed, tucking her in and smiling when she burrowed into the warm spot he had been in, pulling his pillow to her chest and breathing in his remaining scent.

It was much harder than he had thought it would be to walk away from her., S still, he knew that soon he would be laying down at night and waking up in the morning with her in his arms. He had used the extendable ear creation of the Weasley who was missing an ear, the irony was not lost on him either, to listen in on the conversation that Hermione, Potter, Madame Pomfrey, the Headmistress and the pair of Weasley's had had. The irony, that the Weasley creator was missing an ear, was not lost on him either. Their lack of a bond was making her sicker, and with Potter finally ready to admit that she needed help it was time to ensure that his mate would get better. One last look at his mate was all it took for Draco to know that it was time. She might hate him for it now, and she may never completely forgive him but they were to have any future at all he would have to act now.

()()()()()

Sitting at his office desk Draco reread the letter his father had last sent him; at least there would be two people who would be pleased with the events that would occur over the next few days. His mother would be that much closer to be a grandmother and could rest assured that her only child would not be dying. His father would be pleased to know that the Malfoy line would not be ending with his son and reap the benefits that would come with being the father in law to the only female of the Golden Trio, the smart one as it were. And in the end both he and Hermione would be happy; how could they not when they were mates. I it was hard to admit at first but even without the bond he had been attracted to her.

**Father,**

** You and Mother will be pleased to know that the bond will soon be cemented between Hermione and I, of course before that I need the paperwork filed. Some things have happened that have set back progress I had made with her and it is in the besttter interest of her health that we bond as soon as possible. I'm sure that you both understand the need for both haste and secrecy; I have no doubt that much of the wizarding world will be angered by this at first. **

**If you come back home I will arrange for Hermione and I to spend a weekend at the manor so that we may all get to know each other better. A weekend away from the castle will do both of us good and introduce her to her new life. If it is not too much to ask could you ask Mother if she would be interested in helping to plan the bonding celebration? I doubt Hermione will have much interest in it and you know how good Mother is at planning these type of fete. **

**You should also expect an owl from Blaise soon; it has to do with pushing a new treatment through the Ministry. He should be able to better fill you in on the particulars. Of course any action with that should be second to the filing the Mate Act papers. **

**Hope to you see you soon, Draco**

Snapping his fingers for a House Elf Draco only had to wait a second for the resounding pop that always signaled the arrival of one, "Send this off with my personal owl, and notify me as soon as I get a response. Do you understand elf?"

"Yes sirs, Winky will lets you knows." The little thing appeared to be female and snatched the letter from his hands, leaving with another loud pop. Draco fought the urge to scowl and roll his eyes at the elf. H her horrible English was to be expected, but this one had been borderline rude. I and as if that were not enough she had on the most horrendous dress; a mustard yellow with bright purple and lime green splotches on it. He wondered if his mate had a role in freeing this elf as well as the family elf his family had once been in possession of.

Leaving his office for the Great Hall Draco was thankful that it was a Saturday. O, on Monday he would have to have a meeting with the parents of the two boys whom he had injured the previous day. As it were, Hhe was not entirely confident that he would be able to keep his job; despite his Malfoy clout there was little he could offer in defense of his actions.

"_I'm sorry Mrs. Leferve but your absolutely horrid progeny was threatening my mate and I'm not all ashamed of saying that mate trumps troll like children, rather the same way Malfoy trumps whomever you are married to that is so incredibly important to the Ministry and yet I have never heard of him."_

Oh yes, it would go quite well he thought sarcastically. No doubt he would be fired from his position as professor and he would have to pay some court fees in order to prove to the vindictive mother that mate did indeed trump snot nosed offspring. At least he would be accomplishing what he had taken his job for; entrapping his mate. Not having to teach would make it much easier for him to concentrate on taking care of Hermione as well. Taking his regular seat second last to the end of the table Draco had few hopes that his mate would even speak to him. H, though he cared little for what McGonagall or silly parents had to say about his actions though he cared immensely what his mate would think about themit.

Not normally a fan of American coffee Draco decided that he needed something stronger than English tea to get him through his day. Pouring himself a cup he thought about leaving room for cream before filling it up to the rim; something his mother would have harped on had he been at the manor. When Hermione took her seat beside him the last thing he expected waswas expecting was for her to talk to him, but her soft cough and nervous voice belayed it.

"Could you pass me the tangerine tea to your right? They never send a pot down by me, neither you nor Madame Hooch drinks it and yet there is always a pot within reach of you." Her light hearted manner made him feel as though she were reaching out to him, his veela side pleased that his mate seemed to have gotten over what had happened yesterday.

"Of course, I'll even pour a cup for you. I'll never understand what it is about fruity teas that you women like, I've always preferred a nice earl grey or green tea. Mother is much like you though with all of her exotic flavors and rare brews." Draco's lips twitched up in a smile when she blushed prettily. She hadn't put any of her glamour charms back on, and while he could tell she felt uncomfortable with it he thought it was a good thing. She needed to see how others reacted to her appearance and see how she felt when everyone could see just how thin she had become. Hopefully it would make her understand the importance of gaining weight for real this time and if looking in the mirror to see how sick she looked was the only way, then he fully supported who ever had insisted that she go with out them.

"I'm sure Mrs. Malfoy has a far more varied pallet than mine, I seldom drink anything other than tangerine." She paused while she filled her plate with eggs, a couple of sausage links and two pieces of toast with apple butter. "Umm, I'm doing a little research on veela and I was wondering if I could talk to you about it- if you have time of course, because of all of the rumors of your great grandparents being veela I thought that you might know more about it than what the books can tell me of course if you don't or aren't I uhh mean no harm, you see I'm just very curious and all and it is for some research and I-"

"Hermione, you're rambling. I certainly have time to talk to you about it, I'll tell you all of the my family secrets even, but first we have to eat breakfast." Hermione's face flushed and she ducked her head down, suddenly feeling like a teenage girl again.

When she glanced up to see Draco's smirk her face turned crimson all over again, "Thank you." she said.

"No, thank you Draco. Remember we are on a first name basis now, and it shall be all my pleasure." He knew that he was pushing it, but if she wanted her answers she would have to act as though the previous night had never happened. Unfortunately, his words seemed to remind exactly of why she hadn't called him Draco and as much as she would have loved to argue with him over it they both knew that she needed him. "I wasn't kidding; I want to hear you say 'Thank you Draco.' In fact I don't think I am going to take another bite until you do." Hermione narrowed her eyes and Draco quirked an eyebrow, both staring at each other before Hermione jerked around to face the great hall and took a large bite of toast. Half shrugging Draco faced the front of the hall as well before talking to Madame Hooch about the first years progress with flying and whether or not Gryffindor or Slytherin had the better Quidditch team.

As Hermione finished her breakfast Draco felt a flash of pride in her; she had ate everything on her plate. She stood getting ready to leave but didn't, her hands resting on her hips before she let them fall with a sigh.

"Thank you Draco. My office, in an hour? The door will be unlocked." Barely waiting for him to confirm Hermione stormed off, leaving Draco to finish his conversation with Madame Hooch and drink another cup of coffee.

()()()()()

Draco considered how much he should tell Hermione knowing that she was close to figuring out that she was his mate and that his father would be filing the paperwork sometime that day to ensure their bonding. Obviously she knew that she was somebody's something so making sure she knew what it would mean to be a bonded mate would make things easier when the shit hit the fan so to speak. Deciding that while he wouldn't want to tell her too much he would give her as much benign information as he could.

He stopped in front of Hermione's door, running a hand through his hair and composing himself before knocking lightly and walking in. She was sitting behind her desk, hair loosely pulled back by an elastic and nibbling on the tip of a sugar quill; it struck him that she looked very much same as when she had been a sixth year and that despite everything they had gone through they were both actually very young. She was almost two years older than he by the grace of using a time turner while in their third year, but that still only made her 19 going on 20. He was going to 18 in just a few months himself, though he could readily admit that he felt far older than what he really was.

He had been groomed all his life to emulate perfection and maturity that befitted being a Malfoy, and the last year he had faced becoming what Hermione would need from her mate. Draco couldn't remember a time when he hadn't known that he was special or that he would be married and well on his way to having a family of his own by the age of 18. No matter that Hermione had seen as much, if not more, than he and that physically she was two years older she was vastly unprepared for her future. Leaning over Hermione's shoulder Draco read what she was looking at.

"Well first of all you can throw anything that book has to say out the window. It has outdated concepts by even wizarding standards of how the mating works for veela." Hermione jumped her head bumping against his shoulder as she realized that she had company.

"Merlin you scared me, did you even knock before you walked in?" Draco smirked tugging the book away from her hands and tossing it in her rubbish bin.

"I knocked but you were so engrossed that you failed to notice;, what happened to constant vigilance?" Seating himself in the chair across from her Draco looked around her office as if he was seeing it for the first time, almost positive she wouldn't notice if he didn't but knowing it wouldn't hurt to act curious.

"I normally have an alarm set up when I am in here and anything of importance I either take with me to my rooms or doesn't leave my rooms at all. It is not my fault that you decided to be sneaky." Hermione shuffled some papers on her desk, trying to organize what information she had gathered.

Smirking, Draco wondered if his Slytherin sneakiness would become a common topic of teasing between them, "If you would recall Hermione I was in Slytherin; that in itself demands a sort of…cunning."

"And if you would recall I was in Gryffindor and that demands an upfront character from both me and those I associate with." Draco chuckled at her phrasing, if nothing else they were matched for their wits and intelligence though he did not doubt that her passion would follow into their sex life as well.

"I wouldn't say that you associate with me, at the very least we have become friends and that demands more familiarity than association. Now did you want to debate our respective personality traits or talk about veela?" As he had known it would his mention of veela diverted Hermione's attentions, though her slightly flushed cheeks told him that at some point they would return to their previous conversation.

"Emm, yes that was what I had wanted to talk to you about. Since you called that book rubbish and have so kindly disposed of it for me I suppose you can start by correcting the information that it had in it." She was eyeing her rubbish bin in a way that Draco knew meant that she want to pull the poor book out and likely assure it that she didn't think it was filled with complete garbage.

"First of all, stop eyeing the damned book; it will do you far more good there than it will on your book shelves. Second, I don't care how many questions you have so long as you don't wave your hand about the air or interrupt me, think you can handle that?" Draco's smirk grew at her affronted look, not at all surprised at her irritation in him.

"I think that we have both grown up since then Draco." Her condescending tone only made Draco's eyes twinkle with pleasure. "Stop smirking, it reminds me far too much of when we were children and we have both come a long way since then."

Abruptly serious Draco locked his grey eyes on Hermione's rich chocolate ones, "Yes, I believe that we both have. Mind if we sit by the fire? Having this desk between us makes me feel as though I'm being reprimanded." Really he just wanted to be closer to her, and knew that she wouldn't deny him if she honestly believed that he was uncomfortable.

After nodding her head in agreement, Draco stood leading the way to the fire place and sitting on the small couch, making sure to leave plenty of room for her to sit beside him. Carefully he released some pheromones into the air, hoping that they would unconsciously draw her to sit beside him. He hadn't intended to use them, or even known that he could until he had read one of his grandfathers journals, but he couldn't help wanting to be closer to her. The closer it got to his birthday and the more time he spent around her the more he would want her until she encompassed his entire life. She very nearly did already but his need for her was becoming less about selfish wants and more about being her everything. He was still a selfish, cocky, and generally unpleasant person; being hers just made him a little less so.

Draco hid a smile when she sat on the sofa beside him. T, there was maybe a foot between them, but as they talked it would be simple to make the distance smaller and smaller. "I guess that we should start with you telling me what you want to know and then I will fill you in to the best of my ability."

Not needing a second invitation Hermione turned sideway to face him, her legs folded Indian style in front of her, "How do veela pick their mates? What abilities do they have over their mates and in general?"

"Veela don't pick their mates, I guess you could say that it is decided by the fates or some other worldly beings. All that matters is that the veela and their mate are the two halves of a whole; soul mates. Everyone has them but it is rare for them to actually be together while living, veela and others like us are lucky in that we will always find our mates. It doesn't guarantee a happy ending by any means, but most of the time even if things are not perfect in the beginning, the mated pair finds a way to make things work. Finding our mates is a little more complicated; some get struck with the urge to travel not sure what they are looking for until they find their mates. Others just have to see or smell them. Some have reoccurring dreams until they see an image of their mates face. There are countless ways for the realization to happen, and it varies based on who the veela is.

The way mates interact is very… animalistic. One is dominate, and the other is submissive; in most cases the veela is dominate over their mate. One exception is your friends Fleur and the eldest Weasley, my mother told me once that she thinks it is because of the werewolf attack that William is dominate over her. Veela can release pheromones to draw in their mates, share dreams and feel their emotions; once the bond is sealed the mate will be able to do the same. Any extra bonding aspects that a pair has will be intensified in the event of the bonding as well..."

()()()()()

When Draco got back to his rooms he collapsed on his bed; if Hermione did not realize that she was the mate to a veela and very possibly him then he would be surprised. After all they had talked for hours with him answering all of her questions and more, only stopping when their stomachs had growled rather loudly. Lunch had been peaceful until McGonagall had stopped to talk to him about the meeting with the students and parents on Monday, after which things had been noticeably strained between them. Hermione had ate a much smaller lunch than she had breakfast, but her glare kept him from saying anything to her about it and she left soon after saying that she was going over to Potter's to see the Weasley girl.

All in all he wasn't sure what to think of how things were going. It was obvious that Hermione was having a hard time trying to distance herself from him, something that pleased him immensely. As dependent on their mates as veela were the mates also developed a heavy dependency on the veela that only grew stronger as time progressed. Eventually their bond would be just as strong as his parents, making it difficult for them to spend anything more than a few hours apart. He could remember a time when he had thought that all parents were like that, a delusion that ended when he went over to Blaise's house for the first time; in the few days that he had been there he did not once see Blaise's mother with her then husband, the third to be precise. Lost in thought Draco recklessly drew his wand when he heard a pop similar to the sound of apparition, only to find the house elf was back.

"Sir, tolds Winky to bring Sirs letter as soon as its arrived so Winky brings Sir his letter, Sir." The elf looked much the same as it had earlier that morning, holding out the reply from his father for him this time though.

Taking the letter Draco hurriedly dismissed the elf, "Yes, you may go now." Already opening the letter he did not see the elf glare at him before popping back out of his room.

**Draco,**

** I must say that I am surprised at your rapid change of mind, none the less your mother and I are both pleased. I filed the paper work and paid an ungodly amount to some pencil pusher to ensure that it would be seen to tomorrow rather than on Monday telling him that it was a life and death situation and that if the mate in question found out about her position that she would flee. Though I doubt your Gryffindor mate would truly run, I would not be surprised if her friends would push her to do so. **

** Your Mother said that she would be pleased to plan the bonding celebration and would like to see a current picture of her so that she can determine what colors will look best on her or some other silly thing. She also sent you a letter in which she explains what she wants and why she wants it in detail that only the fairer race could bearare. We have both heard news of what happened on Friday and have talked to the family attorney about that as well, even if you lose your job nothing else will come of it and we have been able to keep news of this from reaching the press.**

** Miss. Granger should receive a letter from the Ministry some time tomorrow, so I expect you will have a right terror to deal with. Good luck with her.**

**Your Father, Lucius**

_**Draco,**_

_** As your father has previously stated I will be pleased to plan your bonding ceremony. It should not take me long to put everything together, I have been planning this in my mind for many years now so it will be next Friday. By then your bond should be consummated, and your mate should be well on her way to accepting her duty as the mate of a veela. I need to you and your mate to go Madame Malkin's to get your measurements taken, and for an updated picture of Hermione. It would be even better if I could meet the two of you for lunch, although I understand completely if you can not make it. If not, I'm sure that we can plan for that at a later date. Oh, and do send me a list of foods that your mate will and will not eat, as I would hate for her to go hungry at her own bonding ceremony. **_

_**With Love, Mother**_

Shaking his head at the things that only his mother would find important Draco folded the two letters back up. Everything was set in motion. H and his father had been correct to say that he would have a terror on his hands once Hermione found out;, the thought made him smile. She was so passionate when she was angry, and honestly he found more cute than scary when she was mad. The thoughts of her being angry made him think of make up sex, and then sex in general. He had never really thought before about how lucky he was to have ended up with such a lovely mate; petite, lithe, and fiery as they came she was certainly his match in everyway.

()()()()()

If you haven't noticed we are getting close to where the M rating comes into play… I have no problems writing vivid and erotic scenes and I will be. Draco and Hermione are two passionate people, they are also mates. Mates implies the act of producing offspring and while our lovely duo may not be doing that yet they will certainly be practicing. As always I was grateful for the reviews and one in particular made me realize that the last chapter may have been unexpected by you. Hermione has PTSD, post traumatic stress disorder, and that is not something that goes away if you pretend that it doesn't exist. Hermione has a serious problem that will take time to heal and there may always be after effects. And a shout out to RedBear5 for offering to beta; we all owe you a huge thanks. That being said thank you for reading, reviewing, favorite-ing and alerting, as always I hope you have enjoyed this installment of I Will Have You.

Relentlesslybrash

Extra Note: I would have updated last night but FF wouldn't even load the login page, any of you have the same problem? As for not updating Friday… I made an oopsie and forgot to add the attachment when I emailed RedBear5.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13; Hermione

Normally I put my author notes at the end of the chapter but this time I feel like I should put it here and I hope that all of you will read this. I write and update on a life permitting basis and last week I just did not have the time. I'm a senior in high school, taking a college class two nights a week, getting ready for Central in the fall, preparing for everything that goes with graduating (my open house, friends' open houses, who to invite to graduation ect.), extra responsibilities because of being top 10, and general family stress. My point is that it's kind of amazing that I even update at all, so we all need to be patient. I am frustrated that I couldn't update last week; it wasn't fair to you or me. But at the same time I can't put this first, and I can't beat myself up over not having time to write. I hope that you can all understand this. More than anyone I know that this is the worst time that updates could be late; one of the first peaks of I Will Have You is happening and I don't want to leave you waiting any longer than I have to. All that I ask is that you be patient, I Will Have You will be finished. It will be finished before the end of August if I have any say at all, and as the author I do. As always I hope that you enjoy this installment of I Will Have You.

()()()()()

Hermione sighed into her cup of tea, still avoiding looking Ginny in the eye. It had taken the witch one look to know that something was wrong and to threaten to curse Hermione and Harry if they didn't tell her what was going on. Even after telling her the whole story the red haired witch was still mumbling under her breath about not being told. Hermione was just glad that she was no longer in the ranting rage that she had been after Harry had told his wife that he thought her condition was too delicate to be worrying over Hermione when he, George, and Charlie had things under control. Needless to say Ginny had told Harry that her condition was too delicate to share a bed with him.

"If you weren't my best friend I would kick you out too. Why didn't you tell me? I have told you everything about my and Harry's relationship." Ginny stood up and stretched, her arms cupping her prominent baby bump before sitting beside her best friend. She carefully ran her fingers through Hermione's hair, trying to show her that while she was upset that she hadn't been told she wasn't going to hold it against Hermione forever.

Hermione shrugged her shoulders not sure of what to say. The last month had turned her life upside down ending with her potentially being the mate of a veela, everyone finding out that she was not in fact gaining weight, and her blossoming friendship with Draco being set back because he had assaulted two boys. Simply put she was tired.

Leaning her head on Ginny's shoulder she looked at her friend's stomach, trying to imagine what the baby would look like, "What do you think the chances are of the baby having the messy Potter hair? I've heard that Harry's Grandfather also sported the black untamable look."

"Just as high as the infamous Weasly red; if this little boy knows what is good for him he will have his mummy's ginger locks and his papa's green eyes." Ginny smiled softly when Hermione sat up looking at her questioningly. "I also hope that he will have something of his godmother's intelligence, I don't know a smarter witch than her."

"A boy? And you want me to be his godmother? Gin, are you sure? I mean you and Luna go back further than we do, and I know for a fact that Fleur has been dropping hints about being your baby's twice aunt." Ginny's smile grew; glad to see that the news had its intended effect on the brunette even if they still had much to discuss about what was going on with Hermione.

"Pish, I would never make Fleur James's godmother; the woman is still just barely tolerable. As for Luna, she already knows and you know how she is… She said that it made perfect sense for Harry to want his sister in everything but name be the godmother of his children. Not that I would pick her over you, I love Luna to pieces but she is Luna." Hermione laughed at the face Ginny made when talking about her sister in law before wrapping her arms around her in a hug.

"James is a good name for him, I can see him acting just like Harry did already. I'd be honored to be his godmother, of course this means that I get spoiling and over night rights doesn't it?"

As Hermione and Ginny talked about all the things they would need to do to prepare the world for the youngest Potter Harry listened from behind the door. They still needed to talk about what they would do about Hermione's mysterious dream man but at least for a little while longer he would let them enjoy their moment, sure that things would soon get worse.

()()()()()

Hermione remained in high spirits till after they had all eaten lunch, Ginny looking more like her mum than ever as she moved skillfully around her kitchen to put together a lunch for her, her husband, her best friend and brothers. Every time one of the boys put more food on Hermione's plate she would roll her eyes and move it to their plate, good-naturedly letting them feed her until she felt like she would burst. Even though she was over full she had eaten only half of what Ginny had, only highlighting how thin she was.

"I talked to Draco this morning. He passed on a lot of information and I think that it is safe to say that the man in my dreams is veela." Hermione kept her chin held high, still trying to come to terms with the fact that she was almost certainly the mate of a veela. Seated between Charlie and George on the couch in the living room she frowned as Harry stood up to pour himself a glass of fire whiskey. "Don't you think it's a little early for that Harry? Besides many husbands give up everything their wives must while they are pregnant and it wouldn't hurt for you to do the same."

"That sounds like a good idea Miss Hermione; I think it's only fair that the man who knocked up our little sister goes through everything that she does." George frowned at his brother in law, it didn't matter that even before Ginny and Harry married they were like brothers not when his little sister was going to have her first baby.

"I do wish that we had given him some puking pastels, do you think it is too late for that brother?"

Just as George opened his mouth to reply to Charlie's suggestion of giving Harry some pastels Ginny broke in with a slightly irritated voice, "Stop it, you can tease Harry later boys. Right now we need to talk about what Draco told Hermione and what it will mean for her." Patting the arm of the chair she was sitting in she directed Harry to come sit by her. Rather than sitting on the arm of the winged chair he picked up his wife and sat her on his lap, wrapping his hands around her waist to rest over their unborn son.

"He said that veela and their mates are soul mates, and that even if I'm not at first in the end I will be happy. The shared dreams are normal but he, who ever he is can also feel my emotions. It's only a matter of time before he approaches me according to Draco, he said that it is rare for a veela to wait long after they know who their mate is… I didn't tell him about the dreams or anything so I couldn't ask why a veela might wait so long." Hermione rubbed her forehead with one of her hands, letting out a sigh when Charlie began to rub her shoulders in an attempt to ease the tension from her shoulders. "He mentioned Bill and Fleur, I don't know why I didn't think to ask her about it she would be far more helpful than Draco and I could actually ask her about the particulars of what ever this is."

Harry stared pensively at the wall, as did George while Charlie continued to rub her shoulders his hands working out the knots in her neck. "What do you mean they are soul mates? Isn't mating about attraction and producing the strongest offspring that they can?"

Fixing her gaze on her brother Ginny wondered if Charlie cared more about Hermione than he had let on, she had suspected it in the past but had yet to see any evidence of it in how he treated the brunette. It wouldn't surprise her if it took losing Hermione to make her brother do something about how he felt for her, it was a typical male Weasley reaction.

"Not according to what Draco said, his parents are mated but Narcissa is not exactly a shining example of female fertility. It has to do more with compatibility, mates complete each other. It's the theory that every soul has two parts and that our only true purpose is finding the other half's of our selves. Some soul mates have been the same sex and separated by years in age. In rare cases souls have been known to break into three pieces and often those relationships are destroyed by outside sources. In a way I'm lucky; I will know my other half and I will never doubt his devotion or love. There are many who will never have that." Halfheartedly Hermione offered Ginny a smile though it began to fade when she did not return it.

Looking at her best friend and the boys Ginny stood up, her hands on her hips, "Have any of you considered that maybe Draco is her mate?"

The room fell into silence; the only noticeable sound was Hermione's quickening breaths each a little louder and quicker than the one before it. None of the boys seemed to notice, oblivious in a frozen shock. Quickly moving in front of her friend Ginny cupped her hands around Hermione's face, forcing her to meet her eyes, "Breath deeper, come on honey just take a breath and hold it." Sucking in a breath when Hermione did Ginny held it trying to get her friend to do the same, "And slowly let it out, that's right. Now keep doing that, okay?"

Watching her for a few more breaths Ginny then disappearing into the kitchen to come back out with a glass of water and holding it for Hermione to take. Then she turned towards her husband and brothers. Harry and George seemed to be in the same state; both staring off to space in front of them and mouths slightly open. Charlie on the other hand seemed slightly more aware looking directly at Hermione with one of his hands stroking her hair and the other balled up into a fist. Not sure of what to do she was startled when Hermione weakly stood up, the full glass of water still in her hand.

"I think I need to go home Ginny, may I barrow your floo?" Even her voice was different; hoarse, low and barely above a whisper. As she stood Charlie's hand followed her as if to hold her back before falling limply to the couch when Ginny lead her to the fireplace.

Watching her friend disappear in the green flames Ginny wondered if letting her go back to Hogwarts was really the best idea.

()()()()()

Stumbling into her rooms Hermione dazedly looked around her room before making her way to her bed where she collapsed and curled into a ball with her clothes still on. She couldn't believe it. It all made sense now. Why he hadn't wanted her to see him in the dreams. Why he was so attentive. Why he even looked at her twice. Slowly the tears started leaking from her shut eyes, sliding down her pale face and onto her pillow. She wished he had told her himself instead of letting her find out from first a book and then her friend. It taken Ginny a single day to figure out what she hadn't been able to for weeks.

It got worse though didn't it? Because the person who was supposed to love her more than anyone else in the world had spent eight years ignoring her, hating her, hurting her. And now he was stuck with her; a shadow of the girl she used to be, in denial of her own illness, and wishing that she could be held by her mum one more time. Gasping for breath the tears started falling faster, soaking everything she touched. Everything hurt.

Deciding that it couldn't get much worse she reached out to open the drawer in her bed side table and dug around for a small vile. Fingers wrapping around it she pulled off the stopper, swiftly swallowing the contents in one gulp. In seconds her breathing evened and she started to feel numb, and then she was no longer awake.

()()()()()

A couple hours later Hermione woke to a warm fire, a thick blanket covering her and a tray of food with a warming charm on it. Glancing around she wondered if it was all just a dream and if Feather, the house elf assigned to her, had brought her a late dinner. But the tightness in her face only came from crying, and her eyes felt crusty from dried tears. Wrapping her arms around her legs she rested her chin on her knees, unsure of what she should do. Eating the food would probably be smart but she wasn't sure if she could handle it, the clenching in her stomach seconds later confirmed the fact.

It could have seconds or minutes later that Hermione heard the pecking at her window, seeing an owl flying outside waiting for her to let it in. The medallion around its neck told her that it was a ministry owl, and even in her current state she couldn't ignore it. Getting to her feet she opened her window enough to let the large bird into her rooms. Removing the letter and offering it a piece of warm bread from her dinner tray before it flew back out her window.

Setting the letter on the table by her tray she decided that before she could even read it she needed to shower, change, and try to eat some of the stew that sat untouched. She took as long as she could while getting ready for what she decided would be a bubble bath filling her large tub with water that was approximately a warm 37 degrees Celsius, or 99 degrees Fahrenheit. Puttering around her room she twisted her hair up off her neck and placed her favorite thick bed robe next to her tube along with an old romance novel she had bought at a rummage sale a few months ago.

Carefully she put the mint cold cream mask on her face after washing it with some warm water, sighing as the cool, smooth texture soothed her blotchy face. Hermione sniffed each of her bubble scents before settling on vanilla and lavender blend and pouring three generous cap-fulls into the nearly full tub. Finally she sank into the water, flicking her wand to turn on a Bach symphony concertante for violin and cello in B flat that she and her father had both loved. Washing and shaving she then opened her book to read until she finally felt a gentle rumble in her stomach.

With a sigh she marked her place in the book, got out of the bath and began to dry off wrapping herself in the bed robe when she was done. As she let the water drain from her tube she washed off the face mask feeling much better than she had a few hours ago. While patting her face dry Hermione thought more about being Draco's mate; their personal history aside she could see why they might work as a couple. In fact she wagered that if not for what families they had been born into she and Draco would have gotten along far better than they had as children.

Taking a bite of the homemade beef stew that was waiting for her Hermione fell into her late meal like a starved child, eating like an adult for the first time in years. The stew warmed and filled her and once it was gone she cleaned her bowl with crusty bread that sat on a small plate beside it. She would have to thank Feather for the meal later she decided even if she had likely been told to bring it up by Madame Pomfrey.

Everything else done she could no longer ignore the Ministry issued letter that was waiting for her attention. She was sure that it was for some benefit ball or silent auction that would benefit the orphans and struggling families that were left in the after math of the war. Likely she had only been sent a invitation because it was well known that if she attended that Harry would as well. He had told her time and time again that it was not her responsibility to help the Ministry fix what it had failed to stop and her saving their lives was more than enough but she disagreed. She didn't have it in her to slight the needy out of spite of the Ministry.

Opening the letter she re-read the first paragraph twice before continuing in her reading.

**Department of Magical Beings**

**Division of Life Rights**

**Sub-Division of Matrimony and Progeny**

**Melinda Gregory, Head of Office**

**Miss Hermione Granger,**

** This is a letter to inform you that Law 157MBLR02 has been invoked on behalf of one Draco Abraxas Malfoy in regards of the Ministry acknowledged soul bonding in the cases of mate dependent magical beings. In no more than one week from today you must seal the mates bond between you and Draco Abraxas Malfoy. If not done willingly your compliance will be forced due to the above mention law. **

** In this missive we have enclosed a brochure that contains all the information you may need in regards to your bonding and future as a mate of a magical being. There is also the floo address of a councilor if you are having troubles coming to terms with your approaching bonding or need to file a mate abuse/ neglect report against your mate in the future. You should know that you are lucky to have found your soul mate and the Ministry wishes you and your mate the best of luck.**

**Melinda Gregory, Head of the Sub-Division of Matrimony and Progeny**

Hermione let the letter fall to the floor, indeed seeing a colorful pamphlet land under the official Ministry parchment. Not only had Draco snuck into her dreams under false pretenses and failed to notify her when he knew that she was his mate, he had filed paperwork that would force her to bond with him. All without once talking to her about it.

Angrily standing beside her large bay window Hermione looked out on the grounds of Hogwarts. She hoped Draco knew what he was getting into, just because the Ministry had ordered her to accept the bonding didn't mean that she had to make it easy after words. For the first time in his life Draco Abraxas Malfoy was going to regret getting everything he wanted.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14: Draco

Draco wasn't sure where all the emotions he had been feeling were coming from, until that is, he felt the intense pain and then a couple of hours later, anger. It could only be coming from Hermione, and he knew that she knew. For the first time he wondered if maybe he hadn't been a little hasty, maybe he should have talked to her about it first and then used the law if all else failed. Decisively he shook his head. He had done what he had to. Hermione wanted nothing to do with him after he had hurt those boys, no mater that they deserved it, and the only reason she talked to him was because she needed him for information.

Soon she would need him for much more than that. And she wouldn't be able to stay mad at him; he would make sure of it. After all a woman in post orgasmic bliss could hardly want to kill the man who had made her feel that way. If there was one thing that he was sure that he would have the upper hand with in his bonding it would be the bedroom. He had taken enough girls to know that he was more than skilled in that area and that his veela pheromones would only help while conquering his mate; the great Hermione Granger.

He felt his teeth elongate at the thought of taking his mate for the first time, of marking her and binding her to him for the rest of their lives. He imagined their lives over the years; their first year as a bonded couple, her body filling out as she became pregnant, a handful of children running around the manor, and Hermione, always right there beside him. Their lives would be happy ones, more so than most even; he had the money and power to provide every little thing they could ever want and they would have each other to keep company and enjoy all of those things with.

Sometimes even a Slytherin could forget who they were dealing with though, sometimes even a Malfoy.

()()()()()

When Draco appeared beside his mate in their little garden with a swing he was not surprised to see that she was waiting. Her petite arms were crossed and her hair seemed to crackle with energy, if there was one thing that he loved about their dream meetings it was that she always appeared healthy with her body at the appropriate weight, while the rest of her stood as though she were made from stone. He could tell that even though she had went to sleep her feelings of anger had only intensified, he figured she only went to sleep because she knew that they would meet and there would lay her best chances of coming out on top in a fight.

"How long did you have to talk to Potter and the Weasleys to realize that it was me?" He was confident, walking closer to her until she had to look up to avoid staring at the hollow in his throat. The fact that she was so much smaller than him made him puff up with male pride, sure that even she could not ignore that he was a fine specimen.

Eyes narrowed and full lips pursed she glared, "Actually it was Ginny who figured it out. She was the one who realized that a veela would not hide themselves from their mate unless they already knew each other and he had good reason to believe that she would not accept him." Draco fought the urge to flinch, remembering every snide comment and cruel joke he had made about her as a child.

"Obviously I had good reason, look at you; you are so stuck on the fact that I didn't tell you that you can't be happy for what we have-"

"What do you think we have Draco?" He was forced to take a step back as her arms flung out, gesturing madly while she yelled. "We have years of taunts, of fights, of competition, and prejudice. You lied about everything. I am not so cruel as to sentence a man to die, even one that I hate. You have given me nothing but reasons to hate you, so what do you think we have?" Her eyes drifted shut for a moment, as though she were wishing herself away. For a second he didn't realize what she was doing then, with an animalistic roar he grasped her upper arms in his hands.

"You do not get to leave me. You are mine. We have a future mate, and underneath all of that hate you have for me you will find that you have love." He was wild, shaking her like a doll to punctuate his words trying not to lose himself in the self righteous anger of a veela whose mate scorned them.

Hermione tried to jerk away, more than just a little fear coming off of her in waves, "I am not a possession. You can not keep me locked in a cage. I have friends and a life, I have a job and you do not get to take that away."

"I will lock you in a cage if that is what it takes Hermione. I will force feed you and make you well again. I will tell your friends to leave if they hurt you, and they do hurt you, and I will make you leave your job. From now on _I _am your life, just like you have been my life for months."

"I hate you," she bellowed with incomprehensible rage, jerking herself away from with renewed energy.

"You keep saying that but I don't think you do."

"How can I not? You lied; you have taken what I would have given. If you had just talked to me Draco I would have accepted the bond willingly, but all you can do it take. You are like a child in so many ways." Already her voice was hoarse, and Draco wondered if it would be when she waked as well.

"I didn't have time to woo you. When I found out the war was almost over, and when it was you didn't look at anyone twice even after the Weasel left. And then I found out that you were sick, and that no one would admit it least of all you. What would you have done? If had told you the truth things would have only gotten worse."

"Worse than this Draco? Please let me go. I just want to sleep for a night without hearing your voice. I don't want to come back to this place again. Please?" Hearing her beg was the one thing he never wanted to hear from her lips; the screaming, the crying, even the silence he preferred to the sight of his proud mate begging.

Pulling her to him Draco moved his arms to embrace her, easily lifting her slight weight, smiling into her hair when she naturally wrapped her legs around his waist in order to feel more secure. With one hand he tilted her head up searching her pained brown eyes for something other than hurt and anger. Just because he could understand were she was coming from did not mean that he believed she was right. With out the law Hermione would have never fully committed to him, that law would make them both very happy people in the future. Cupping her chin Draco tilted Hermione's face brushing his lips across the freckles on her nose, then her slanted cheek bones and the wrinkles on her forehead before finally meeting her lips.

At first it did not seem as though she would return his kiss, and when she sucked in a shuddering breath he took advantage deepening it and tasting her for the first time. With a pang he realized that it was not real, that it was only a dream, and that made him move his lips more forcefully along hers slipping his tongue into her mouth to brush her own. Slowly she began to participate gently nipping his lower lip and clinging to him more tightly when he returned the gesture.

Carefully he pulled back his hands resting on her legs where ass met thigh while her own were wrapped around his neck. Her face was flushed, lips plump from kissing and her hair a little more wild than normal; she was lovely. Pressing one last kiss to her forehead Draco let her fall back into a deep slumber, knowing that things were far from good but confident that she wouldn't be able to keep saying she hated him.

()()()()()

As a Malfoy one is always collected, cool and unrelenting. Which was the crux of the problem today, one of the parents was so upset that outside of minor fines and the loss of his job Draco could not be touched that she was insisting on a public apology. Most would have given up an hour ago, when that was the only thing keeping them in the room with the obnoxiously perfumed woman who wore an entirely too tight dress suit. But Draco was a Malfoy and Malfoy's did not publicly apologize for anything, at least not after the apology his father had made at the end of the war.

"If you want me to make a public apology for putting your disrespectful son in his place then I would like to see him make a public apology to every teacher whom he has mistreated or slandered. He admitted to making threats against another teacher, I would insist he be expelled except for the fact that I doubt he will ever have the mental or magical capacity to carry any of his threats out." Draco kept his icy gaze on the plump woman, smirking with a self satisfied air when her eyes darted away from his own.

"He was forced to say that. The mudblood has it out for anyone not in her own house and her teaching methods are unorthodox to say the least-"

"Mrs. Randle, that attitude is what got your son in trouble in the first place. After the first week none of Ms. Grangers other students complained and she is highly qualified for her position. Those methods of hers have caused the students comprehension levels to skyrocket, and muggle studies show that these unique set-ups work better. Your son was not forced to admit the things that he said about Ms. Granger and he was not forced to say them in the first place." McGonagalls accent sounded a little thicker than normal to Draco, likely because she did not like dealing with pompous Purebloods or people who insulted her brightest student.

Draco was glad that his father was there along with the family lawyer, if not for the binding spell that Lucius had placed on him he would have flown across the table to throttle the woman who sat across from him.

"I am greatly surprised that you have decided to take a public avenue to exact your petty revenge when most of our status would handle these things privately. Of course I did hear about your sister's unfortunate choice of a husband and their divorce a month later…" Draco smirked as his father trailed off; he remembered hearing about the pureblood witch who had married a Halfblood. He also remembered that a month later the woman had been forced to get a divorce due to her family's pressure, her then husband left the country for America in the hope that such prejudices did not exist there.

The woman pursed her lips before standing in a huff and storming out, leaving her husband to trail behind her. "We will accept the agreed to terms; he will be banned from teaching within Hogwarts, including guest lecturing or demonstrations. Have a good day."

Draco almost felt bad for the man, but figured that any man who allowed his wife to lord over him as he did deserve what he got. Once his father extinguished the binding spell he stood stretching his neck and back, ignoring the reproachful look from Lucius.

"Professor, I can be gone today and I am sorry for how things turned out. The agreement allows for me to come to the school to see my mate unless you would prefer to set up a floo network that will allow Hermione to commute from the Mansion to Hogwarts." Both of the Malfoy men ignored the knowing look on McGonagall's face, instead allowing themselves to look around the room with practiced indifference.

It never failed to shock her how much the father and son looked alike, it wasn't to say that Narcissca's own features hadn't softened Draco's just that the men looked enough alike to be brothers. Some how McGonagall knew that the younger Malfoy was likely the reason that Hermione had not taken a teaching job at any of the other schools that had been looking for staff. She wasn't sure what to think of these men who seemed to land on their feet and she certainly wished her favorite student the best of luck with her mate. "I think that we should ask Hermione how she feels about this, after all this is her life we are talking about."

Draco clenched his jaw, turning away from the searching eyes of his onetime Professor. They all seemed to forget that it was not just her life anymore, the moment she had been born she had been his and their lives had forever tied. As far as he was concerned, the veela were concerned, and even the damned Ministry was concerned their lives were one and the same.

"I'm sure that while we decide the remaining business of Draco's retirement that he and his mate can confer and come to a decision as to their living arrangements." Lucius seemed untouched by the Headmistresses challenging words, his commanding and rather passive aggressive response slipping smoothly off his tongue. Needing no further encouragement Draco left the room thankful to have a reason to move, moving a little more quickly than his father would approve of.

He knew that he would have little time with Hermione face to face before his father and mother would arrive to help move her things into the manner. Once they got there the unpacking would be delegated to a house elf and the interrogation would commence; every little detail about her life, her family, her friends, and her plans for the future would be exposed and debated. Draco had no doubt that his mate would quickly erupt into a fit of temper, already on edge from losing the battle that was about to occur.

Knocking smartly on the door of her chambers Draco idly ran a hand through his hair, noting that he would have to get a trim soon as it was starting to get in the way of his sight. The Hermione that answered the door was reminiscent of the one he remembered from school; hair haphazardly held back by a quill, sleeves pushed up over her elbows, ink stains on her face from chewing on the end of her quill and a few others on her hands. Glancing behind her he noticed a cup of tea and half a sandwich sitting on a tray by a table overflowing with books and parchment.

"What do you want?" Her curt words cut him a little more than he had thought they would and his eyes darkened as she looked him over unconsciously.

"We need to talk Hermione, you knew that this was coming." Though his words seemed equally short the tones of warmth and caring were clearly noticeable to them both.

"Fine, you can come in. I'm assuming that you were fired?" Hermione swiftly stepped back to allow him in, shutting the door so quickly that his robes almost got caught.

Ignoring the snide comment Draco looked over what she had been studying, rubbing his brow when he saw old law and veela behavior books he sat heavily in her chair. "You are going to move into the manner, tonight. Father and Mother will be maybe half an hour and will help us to pack up the things that you will need. Judging by these books you already know this. Once we are bonded we will have to be close to each other and you may have to take some time off from work."

"Why can't you stay here? I am the one with a job; it's not fair that I will have to commute to work every day so that your life will be easier." There was enough fire in her voice that he knew the subject would inevitably arise over and over in the future.

"Living in the manor will make both of our lives easier, you will have to get used to it eventually; our children will be raised there. Not only that but we will have more privacy and you will not feel as vulnerable about treating your PTSD when your students can not see it happening. Your life living at Hogwarts is over. You are an adult, you are going to be married and soon you will have all the responsibilities that come with being Lady Malfoy. I know that you did not ask for this and I wish I could honestly say that if I could change it I would. But that's not true because either way I wouldn't have you; I would either have a different mate which even if it were possible I would hate or I wouldn't be a Malfoy or veela, also keeping you from me." Draco wasn't sure what made him speak so frankly it wasn't in his nature to tell the truth so fully or to show his emotions. She was his mate, his other half, and, though she would deny it, he loved her.

"We can raise them in a normal house, like normal children. I think that they will need it with us as their parents else wise they may turn out worse than you. And I don't have PTSD- I just have trouble eating. That doesn't mean that I am sick or weak or need a bloody doctor. I love Hogwarts; it is home, and if I don't live here I will move back in with Harry and Ginny. She could use the extra help with her pregnancy and fixing the house. You don't get to make my decisions." Hermione's words were frantic, it was clear that she needed sleep; she couldn't even formulate one of her logical arguments.

"Hermione, you are going to move into the manor. Our bonding will not take place in some musty castle and I will not live here when I have a perfectly good home to offer you. I am veela and you are my mate. I provide for you, I protect you. Nothing you say will sway me. You do not want me to get started on the subject of you living with Potter or any of the other inane things you just said. Sit down, eat that sandwich and finish your tea. Now." Carefully Draco let the power of his dominance wash over her, it didn't take much with her guard down and her being tired already. Keeping a careful eye on her as she ate, he only moved away to let his parents in when they arrived and to start packing her things.

()()()()()

Once they had managed to get Hermione and her things to the manor Draco cast a silent sleeping charm over her and laid her down on his, rather their, bed to rest. His mother had tutted over her wardrobe, secretly pleased that she had an excuse to do something with her future daughter in law one on one. The one thing that Lucius had never been able to give her was a second child, a daughter, though it was no fault of his. His father had marveled over her collection of books, surprised at some of the rare tomes she had sitting on her many book shelves. If nothing else it assured him that his son had a mate who matched him in intelligence, reiterating all of the rants his son had as a student about the girl who was always just a few points ahead of him.

Though Draco would deny it his parents opinions of his mate mattered to him and he knew that they were both still unsure of her as a person and of her bloodlines. Pouring himself a small glass of fine whiskey he sat in his green winged chair that was positioned so that he might watch over her. The sight of her in his bed, where she belonged, made him eager for their bonding. It would ultimately be his choice but if it would make her feel better he decided that he would wait the full time limit to complete seal the bond. If nothing else it would give her a little time to get used to the idea and him before sex was thrown into the mix.

He wondered if her lips would be as sweet as or sweeter than they had been in their shared dream. How he felt for her would change nothing. He couldn't bring himself to regret forcing the law because she was laying in his bed, days away from being his forever. He was a selfish man, he always would be, and even Hermione couldn't change that.

()()()()()

If you can believe it this basically wrote its self once I had the time to sit down and get it all out. Had a mind of its own it did, deviating from my initial plans. I think that it is for the better though, you got to see a softer side of Draco if you didn't notice. He really seemed to have only what was best for in mind, even if the bit about the manor was slightly selfish he did have some good reasons for it. As you can tell we are getting ever closer to the much anticipated bonding scene and I have been hinting that Draco will be dominate in every area so don't be too surprised about it. This is also were the rating changes, so far I would say that we have had a very PG-13 content going on but the sex scenes will be smutty. (If we are all honest that is half the reason we read these M rated stories.) Finally, I have surpassed 150 reviews, 160 favorites, and 350 alerts. This is the first and the last time I will say anything about this but if everyone who bothers to alert or favorite would review one time I would have more than twice as many reviews as I do. A lot of people pick stories biased on how many reviews they have, so if you enjoy this then review. A few of you review every chapter or almost every chapter and I thank you for that, these reviews are motivators and they help me to get an idea of what you do and don't like. That being said, I hope you have enjoyed this installment of I Will Have You.

~relentlesslybrash


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15; Hermione

Shifting under the blankets Hermione buried her face more deeply into her pillow, gently breathing in the indefinable but tangy scent that clung to it. Somehow the smell soothed her and she worked her arms around the pillow laying on her stomach with her head and chest supported by both the pillow and her arms. As awareness started to seep into her she noticed that the sheets felt silkier than normal, her bed bigger and softer. Too big and too soft. She had brought her own mattress to Hogwarts because she preferred a firm bed over one that was as soft as this. Forcing herself to blurrily look around she realized that she was not in her bed.

Pulling the blankets up to her chest as she rolled into a seated position Hermione took in the dark cherry hard wood floors, large bay window with silk curtains in a soft grey, and the minimalist furniture before her eyes finally settled on Draco. She wished that she could be surprised that this was his room but somehow it fit. There was a balance between old wealth and clean, modern lines that matched the Malfoy persona.

It was hard to be mad when he looked so angelic with his lips slightly parted, head resting at an odd angle on his shoulder, and strands of hair falling in front of his eyes. Brow crinkling at the route her thoughts had taken she glared at the sleeping man, or rather veela. Almost as if he could tell she was looking at him Draco woke up, taking a deep breath and stretching his arms before smiling at her. Hermione's frown deepened.

"It's good you woke up now, I'm sure that Mother will be sending an elf up soon for the five minute warning before dinner and you'll want to change first." Draco had apparently decided to ignore her frown, walking over to a wall and rolling a sliding door out of the way to show a closet filled with clothing.

"I'm not going to dinner, I'm not hungry." Hermione set her jaw before continuing, "If you will just take me to my room I think I will just go to bed."

"You are in your room, our room. You will attend dinner, and you will eat everything on your plate. I'm not going to put up with shit just because Potter did." Pulling off his plain white button down shirt for a grey one Draco then turned giving her a look that was meant to cow her into submission, "Get moving Hermione."

Hermione fought the urge to fling a curse his way, "You leave Harry out of this, you- of all people- have no business criticizing him. You don't get to control me Malfoy."

Not stopping to button his shirt Draco strode to her, seeming unbothered when she shrinked back against the head board of the bed. Firmly, yet carefully, he grasped her arm pulling her out of bed to stand up, "Don't argue with me right now; we are going to get dressed, then we are going down to dinner during which we will both eat, and then we will come back here to go to sleep in the same bed. If I have to tell you that again I will dress you, hand feed you and then drug you. Do you understand Hermione?"

Glaring up at him Hermione realized that he was serious, his normally cool grey eyes seemed darker than usual and she wondered if it was an effect of being veela. It wasn't hard for her to decide that she would dress herself so she nodded her head.

"Use your words."

She mumbled a quiet yes.

"Louder, use my name and look me in the eye Hermione."

She wished that she had not conceded to moving into the manor. "Yes Draco, now if you let me go I will change my clothes." Hermione met his eyes and held them, showing him that it was only for now that she would obey.

Once he had let go of her arm she walked over to the box that she knew contained her clothes, going through it before deciding that she would need to transfigure something. Picking out a purple dress that she had never been fond of she laid it on the bed before reaching for her wand. Realizing that it was not in her wand holster or on the bed side table she turned to Draco.

"Where is my wand? I need it if you want me to have something to wear to dinner. I doubt your Mother would appreciate my muggle attire." Hermione felt her anger at Draco grow when she realized that he had taken her wand from her, clearly showing that he did not trust her and that he thought he could control her.

"Not for formal dinners she wouldn't. Your wand is on the makeup dresser, there are some pieces of jewelry that you are welcome to as well. They are yours now but please remember that they are also family heirlooms that can be passed down to our daughter." Somehow his voice had gone from controlling and demanding to soft and almost tired. "I don't want us to fight; this really is in your better interest. You just need to get used to some new things, I've had longer to deal with it than you have."

"If you say that you have to deal with this what makes you think it could get better?" Hermione's words reflected a cold bitterness before she turned away from Draco to transfigure her dress. The first thing she decided to change was the vibrant violet color, after a few seconds she flicked her wand wordlessly casting the charm. Slowly the purple leached back becoming a soft olive that would look nice with her light brown eyes and rich brown hair, she had been reluctant to pick the shade because of house colors but decided that it was far to natural to be confused with the Slytherin emerald. Lengthening the dress and adding off the shoulder sleeves with a square neckline Hermione decided that she was pleased with the results. As she looked up she realized that Draco was dressed and looking at her pensively, she wondered how she had missed him changing noting the pile of clothes on the floor that he had removed.

"I need to change Draco, can you leave?" The hard edge to her tone was still there but Hermione didn't care. She did not want him to think that things between them were okay, or that their ongoing argument had been forgotten. Without a word he left the room, his grey eyes seeming sadder than normal.

Slipping on her dress quickly she looked at herself in the mirror. The silk shimmered slightly in the dull light, framing her slight curves to perfection and making the most of her short build. Carefully sitting so as not to muss her dress she opened the boxes that sat atop the makeup dresser, fingers running over random pieces of jewelry. There was no denying that they were tasteful, expensive and one of kind befitting the Malfoy name in every way. While she couldn't see herself ever wearing them, no matter how lovely they were, Hermione knew that they would be worth protecting for a daughter.

The word daughter was a cold reminder of her future and how removed it was from what she had envisioned for herself. It wouldn't be fair to blame that on Draco though. He had no control over his genes and those dreams had left with Ron. The knock at the door reminded her why she was sitting there and after affirming that it was okay for him to come in she began picking out pieces of her hair. Twisting the sections this way and that she deftly began styling her hair with a quick accio she placed the broached pin in her hair to complete it.

Looking at Draco through the mirror she cocked her head to the side, "Will this do?" She looked more like she dressing for a ball than a formal dinner but then Draco was wearing dress robes himself.

"You look a dream Hermione, though Mother will be disappointed when she realizes how skilled you are at transfiguration. She wanted to take you shopping. Now if you will just put on your shoes we can go down to dinner I'm sure that they are waiting for us already."

Slipping on pair of low heeled cream colored flats Hermione walked towards Draco at the door. Looking at his offered arm she hesitated a moment, prompting Draco to speak again.

"It is customary; I won't read anything into it." Searching his grey eyes she tried to ignore the pang of hurt that she saw, remembering again how he had forced her to leave the castle, and to now sleep in his room, eat dinner with his family… All things she wished to avoid. She was giving up her choices for him and he still wanted more. Hermione frowned as she accepted his arm, allowing him to lead her through the halls and down stairs not paying attention to where she was headed.

When Draco stopped to push open the door she jerked her head up realizing that she was now in the presence of the patriarchs of the Malfoy family. She remembered once coming across a book on the oldest families in the wizarding world and knew that once the Malfoy name had been almost as populous as the Weasley one was. It was only in the last 200 years that the family numbers had slumped so low, after Draco there were no Malfoys. Meeting the eyes of Lucius Hermione was not surprised to find them cold though to be fair they were not the glaciers she had always known them to be, Narcisca on the other hand had a pleasant smile on her face while her hand rested gracefully on her husband's.

A glance at her own hand on Draco's revealed that she was gripping it tightly, her body tense beside his own. Allowing him to lead her to her seat opposite of Narcissca and on the corner next to Lucius's chair she sat in her most graceful manner. Cynically she could appreciate all the years of war and danger; the diving, dodging and twists had made her agile and graceful when she wanted to be.

"Good evening Mother, Father. I trust the rest of your day went well?" As Draco spoke, he deftly seated himself beside her scooting himself an inch or so closer to where Hermione sat.

"Well, I had a late lunch with Sylvia Greengrass. She continuously bemoaned the loss of another perspective husband for her daughters when I told her that you had found your mate. Then she pried as to who it could be though I refused to tell her. Once she marries off Daphne and Astoria she will be much more bearable, I had to make up false plans in order to avoid another meeting next week." The regal woman then flicked her wand, seeming to be a signal for the house elves to begin serving. She was wearing all black and Hermione wondered if it was in mourning for her niece, Nymphadora Lupin nee Tonks.

"The woman will have much trouble finding any family willing to let their son marry either of her daughters; while both are lovely Astoria is known to be damaged goods and Daphne's magic is weak. I hear your friends Theodore and Blaise both talking about how they had been approached by Camden. It's a shame what that family has come to." Lucius spoke slowly, pausing once to take a sip of what appeared to be water.

For the most part it seemed that they would be ignoring her, something Hermione was grateful for. Looking at her plate she schooled her features the first course alone was more than she would be able to eat. A medium sized bowl of one of her favorite soups, onion, sat before her. Grasping the correct spoon in her hand she took a small bite, not noticing the apprasing look she was receiving from Narscisca.

"It really is all Camden's fault. The man let his wife and daughters run wild, there is bad blood on Sylvia's side, we all warned him. Her mother was from India and their magic has always been finicky." Hermione looked at Draco as he sat there looking at his parents and taking small bites as they talked.

"Actually, I would disagree. The Patil twins are both highly talented, they both did exceptionally well in Divination and Charms. Perhaps Daphne needs a new wand? It would not be the first time that a witch or wizards true potential was blocked by a wand that does not fit them." Hermione paused as the elder Malfoy's stared at her, "She would not be the first whose magic has changed due to stress or emotional strife. Many have gotten new wands over the last few months." Folding her hands in her lap she waited for the inevitable reprimand from Lucius or Narcisca.

"It may be that she is throw back to grandmother's side as well, it could be that her magic simply is not combatable with a wand. Of course I do recall her doing very little studying in school so she could be lazy." Draco drawled his words thankfully taking some of the attention off of her.

"Draco it is obscene to talk of your peer's less than admirable traits, especially at the dinner table." And with Narcisca's words it seemed that conversation was closed.

Returning to her soup Hermione managed to take two more bites before setting her spoon aside and taking small sips from her water until the next course came out. It was another over sized portion, this time of some sort of roast with mixed vegetables. While everyone at the table ate with proper manners Hermione seemed to do everything at a slower pace; cutting her food into smaller bites, chewing it longer, large pauses in between bites.

"Just because you are constantly using your silverware and chewing does not mean that I am not noticing what you eat." Draco's words brought a red tint to her cheeks as once again the attention was on her.

"I'm not hungry, I told you that before we came down here."

"Draco leave her alone, I'm sure that given some time she will regain her appetite and what weight she has lost. Neither your Father or I realized how little you had become Hermione I'm know that with the proper support you will be back to your old self." The red tint on her cheeks faded as Narcisca spoke, and she took another sip of water to hide her surprise.

"Ever the Gryffindor Ms. Granger, you might want to consider practicing how much you let your emotions show. As a future Malfoy you will be constantly in the lime light and unable to hide from it as you have in the past. At times you will even be expected to cultivate and draw more attention to yourself and family." Resting her hands in her lap Hermione focused herself on the Malfoy patriarchs.

"My friends have been more than supportive and are responsible for ensuring that I am alive today. Sometimes we must accept that things will never return to the way they once were. I will hide behind a false mask of no emotions, and I will do everything I can to protect those I care about from unwanted attention. The old Hermione Granger was a recluse from the society papers whenever she could be and the bad experiences I have had with them have made me unwilling to put myself in a position to relive them." Considering the topic closed she picked up her fork and took another small bite. "If I take three more bites will you let it rest Draco?"

"Five and three from dessert, all medium sized." He shot back.

With a small smile she nodded, she had known that he would push for more though she hadn't considered the bites of dessert when she had taken her gamble. If she was careful she would be able to take only two without him noticing.

When dessert finally rolled around it seemed that the dinner conversation had reached a peaceful impasse with only the occasional comment from those seated at the table. As the elf placed her dessert before her Hermione had to hold back a moan of delight; cheesecake with dark chocolate sauce and strawberries artfully placed over and around it. It was her favorite dessert and she knew that if it sat in front of her long enough she might be able to eat the entire slice.

Draco smirked at her, his hand resting warmly on her lower thigh, "I talked to one of the house elves; she said that this was your favorite."

Startled Hermione leaned back into her chair offering her first warm words of the night to him, "Thank you, I suppose you realize that I would have eaten some of this dessert without our little deal?" Then sitting up properly she picked up her dessert fork and took a delicate and perfectly balanced bite of her cheesecake. Had she not been in the presence of the entire Malfoy family she knew that she would have been leaning back with her eyes shut, tongue licking at her lips and a load groan slipping from her mouth. Instead her eyes only fluttered and after she swallowed, "This is the best dark chocolate strawberry cheesecake I have ever tasted, where did you get your recipe Mrs. Malfoy?"

"It's been in the family for generations, from the French side of course I don't think that our English ancestors could have been capable of this. And please, call me Narcisca."

()()()()()

When dinner had finally come to an end Hermione was dead on her feet, even Lucius noticed and did not say a thing when the customary tea and scotch was skipped. Slipping under the thick covers she turned onto her right side, curling into a loose ball knowing that in minutes she would be fast asleep. Little had been solved and while she hadn't lost everything she had lost a lot of ground. She hadn't meant to thank Draco for the cheesecake and blamed her forgiving nature. Eventually, she would have to forgive him because it was in her nature and because she wouldn't want to force anyone to live that way. Tomorrow though, she was going to lay down some rules for their future.

She was almost asleep when he slid in bed behind her spooning her but not touching anything he should not have been. Pulling away slightly she wasn't surprised when he followed closely behind her this time burying his nose in her thick hair. Pulling back again she then turned on her back, signaling that she did not want him to follow her. This time he gave her the space she wanted.

()()()()()

For the second time in as many days Hermione woke to find herself confused. She was warm. Secure. Protected. She was curled into Draco's chest. When one of his arms tightened, holding her closer to his steadily moving chest she knew that he was awake as well.

"I woke up this way you know, and I should point out that you were the one who moved last night. I am right were you left me."

"I have to get ready for school Draco." She couldn't afford to say anything else. She knew that she had wiggled closer to him during the night and would let it change anything, at least not while she was awake.

"I know that but we have to talk sometime, we are running on a tight schedule and you can't put things off forever."

"That is your fault. You could have told me at any point that I was your mate, now I need to get ready. I didn't have any time this weekend to work on my lesson plans and I don't need rambunctious first years thinking that every class will be easy." Jerking herself out of his hold Hermione accioed a set of burnt orange robes and swiftly moved into the bathroom that Draco had shown her the previous night.

Draco still in bed she walked out a few minutes later, grabbed her bag and flooed to Hogwarts without another word to the irate man. "I've told you before Hermione Granger but it clearly hasn't sunk in; I will have you."

()()()()()

Emm, a very late chapter. I'm horribly sorry. It's just that I turned 18 and I have been babysitting a lot so I haven't had much time to type. I owe a huge thanks to everyone who reviewed chapter 14; you are all amazing. I can only reiterate how those reviews help me to get my fingers moving and that to all of you who seemed concerned I will be completing this story. I got a mixed bag of reviews for the last chapter; some of you loved Draco and others hated how Hermione reacted. Hermione is not well but as she gets better, and if you haven't noticed Draco makes her better, she will fight more. She will not become a housewife and she will not let Draco step all over her. These two have a lot of problems and I can only help them through them one at a time. This has only been roughly edited and not betaed but it is so late that I am posting it anyway. So please, I know how rough the grammar and spelling is; do not tell me. There will be serious editing done once I have completed this. I'm not too sure about the whole dinner scene so you will have to make double sure to tell me what you think and, as always, I hope that you have enjoyed this installment of I Will Have You.

relentlesslybrash


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16; Draco

She had ignored him. Just got up, dressed and left. He wished that he could have pulled her back into bed. He hated that he had to share her. In the middle of the night he had woken up due to her shifting and wiggling and realized that she was almost on top of him; his mate wanted him. With careful movements he had situated her into a more desirable position curling her into his side, resting an arm over his waist and laying her head on his chest.

Even with her gone the warm scent that seemed to follow her everywhere lingered in the air and on the sheets. Resisting the urge to follow her Draco sat up running a hand through his messy blonde locks, preparing himself for the long day without her by his side. After pulling on a white t-shirt and a pair of house slippers that matched his silk lounge pants he went down to the dinning room, always thankful that breakfast was a simple affair compared to the ordeal that the formal dinners could be.

Unsurprisingly his father was seated at the head of the table a cup of tea and three papers in front of him. Draco hoped he would let him at least let him get something into his stomach before the inevitable discussion about Hermione. Just thinking about her made him want to steal her from the rest of the world and lock her in their room for a few weeks or years.

"Your mother and I were impressed with her manners last night, are you aware if she attended a muggle charm school?" Apparently Lucius was not in a waiting mood.

"I know that her parents were wealthy, nothing like us of course, but their lives were more than comfortable. You saw the house she had them in though Father, so this shouldn't be a surprise to you." Draco ignored the reproachful look he received from downing half a cup of the rich, black Italian coffee Blaise had introduced him to.

"We know very little about her Draco. You need to remedy that. She will be in this family, she will give me my grandchildren."

"We know quite a lot about her Father," narrowing his eyes he searched his fathers face, "What do you really want to know? Are you still hung over her blood status?" The tightening of Lucius' jaw told Draco all he needed to know. "She is the most powerful witch in generations, she has an intelligence that rivals your own and may eventually surpass it, she survived a war that would have killed her if it got the chance; she is my mate. Nothing else should matter."

"Sit down Draco, he is not threatening her or your bond." Looking at his mother Draco slowly seated himself, ignoring his father for the time being. "Now, I take it that she left for Hogwarts already?" Naricisca restrained a sigh when her son only nodded his head. "Her blood status is… difficult for your Father to handle right now. We all can remember a time when her name was likely to cause much yelling and cursing and it is hard to get out of that mindset."

"Don't make excuses for him. I don't want to hear them." Deciding to ignore both of his parents for the time being Draco filled his plate enjoying the silence that carried through for the rest of the meal.

()()()()()

Knocking on the door to Blaise's office Draco waited impatiently glad that the annoying receptionist had looked away upon his entrance. He wasn't sure what he would have done if he had to deal with the silly bint. Probably cursed her.

"I was starting to wonder when you would be coming back; you're here about Hermione right?" Blaise asked.

"I want to make a treatment plan for her. She has moved into the manor but it still teaching at Hogwarts, I'm not going to make her stop doing what she loves." Draco shut the door behind them casting a silencing spell on the perimeter of the room and then taking a seat in one of the wing backed chairs in Blaise's office.

"And you want it done quietly? Some where private where we can control the exposure and prevent any possible leaks of her treatment getting out?" Blaise already knew the answers to his questions but figured the way his long time friend answered them would give more insight as to what he felt for the witch.

It seemed Draco knew it as well because he smirked deviously at the darker man, "I was thinking that you could do most of the treatments at the manor or your home office, one or two might have to be at Potters if we need to involve some of her friends." He paused as Blaise took a seat beside him before continuing, "I might have to coerce her but I think I have significant leverage to ensure that she will give in."

"I see… You know that changing the nature of your relationship might hold her back? The bonding has to occur shortly but if you all of a sudden go from childhood nemeses to lover and husband it might take longer to undo some of the damage that she has." The dark man flinched at the glare he received from Draco but persisted, "Has she been sleeping and eating more? Had any displays of temper or happiness?"

"I've been making her eat more but it's a struggle… She slept well last night, moved closer to me while asleep it frustrated her when she woke up. Refused to talk to me, she used to do that to them in school when she was mad right?"

"I think we can count that as a display of temper. Maybe, subconsciously, she knows she needs you and that you can make her better. I retract my earlier statement Draco; what ever you are doing is working."

()()()()()

Draco only stayed for a while longer flooing into McGonagall's office per their deal.

"She just let out her last class before lunch; you may go directly to the professors table but can not mingle among the students." There was no warmth in McGonagall's voice, not that Draco cared. The woman never did seem to like him.

Making his way to the Great Hall he nodded his head towards the Slytherin table and continued to his mate. She did seem different today; there was a warm flush on her cheeks that he couldn't remember seeing before and she laughed once at something Madame Hooch said. He hadn't lied when he had told Blaise that he wouldn't force Hermione to quit teaching especially when she seemed to enjoy it so much. Though he couldn't say that he agreed with it looked like she was starting to eliminate House prejudice even if it was only among three of the dorms so far. No, his house had pride and other would have to come to them; that was something that not even a pushy Gryffindor could change.

"I take it you had a good morning? I know that you left in a rush this morning but I hope that you haven't let it detract from the rest of your day." The tilting of his lips was as much of a smile as he could produce and for a second he thought that she was going to ignore him.

"Might as well sit down, Minerva told me about your deal. Before you can start I don't want to talk about it right now, it can wait until I get back to the manor tonight." When Hermione turned toward him the old flying mistress turned away to offer the pair some privacy.

Nodding his head and sitting Draco started to put food on his plate, "That's okay, I can wait."

Just has he had suspected she would his mate's eyes darted away and the blush on her cheeks grew darker with understanding. She picked at her plate moving the salad she had put together around.

"You won't have to that long. It has to happen eventually and I would rather get it over with. It won't change anything either; I'm still mad at you."

"You say that now but when it happens you are going to wish it lasted forever mate, that I promise." Draco closed his eyes as the smell of pure and innocent arousal washed over him resulting in a not so alien tightening in his pants. He had half a mind to move her idle hand over the hardened region but knew that she would most defiantly hex him for it. She was a firey one and it only endeared her more to him for it.

"Please don't ruin my good mood; I'd hate to have to do something drastic to fix it."

Jokingly he smirked, "What would that imply? Because I can think of a number of things that would put you in a excellent mood, a mood so good that your students would be thanking me for weeks."

Dropping her silverware Hermione faced him directly, her eyes shining with anger and irritation. "I think I'd have to see a bouncing ferret, do you know anyone up for the job?"

Draco's smile abruptly disappeared and he felt a pang of hurt and betrayal at her words. For as long as he had known her Hermione's words had never cut so deep, in fact he had always found her to be inordinately kind and caring until provoked. He had only been teasing her… he didn't know what he had done wrong.

Without a word he stood and left, concentrating on walking with Malfoy pride even if he was anything but. She didn't say anything and a part of him desperately wished she would, the further he moved away from her the more dejected he became until he reached McGonagall's office. Knocking once he burst in the large office and just as quickly left through the fire place, ignoring the Headmistress and her curious stare.

()()()()()

Half a bottle of aged bourbon later Draco was feeling reasonably numb. He had found it surprisingly difficult to get as drunk as he was now which compared to his Hogwarts days was nothing after all he could still walk and lift a glass to his lips. Perhaps that was the veela? After all if he was completely wasted he couldn't very well protect his little mate now could he? A resounding pop made slosh part of the searing liquid onto the expensive rug on his floor.

"Mistress tolds Towel to check on Young Sirs, she tolds Towel to tell Sirs that dinner is ready and that Young Mistress is home too. Should Towel get Young Sirs a undrink potion? Master wont like to see Young Sir like this." The house elf was more annoying than it usually was, something his mother had said would fade with time but Draco wasn't so sure.

"Yes, a sober up potion would be a good idea, hurry now." The second pop followed by a third a few seconds later made him wish he had just sent the little bugger away.

"Here Young Sirs, Towel gots yous the potion."

"Just set it down and leave please." The final pop made Draco wince but after downing the potion he figured he deserved it. With a few wand movements that his late godfather doubtlessly would have called foolish he was ready to go down to dinner. And then promptly get drunk again. If his mother or the damned witch didn't stop him.

The dining room was silent and it didn't surprise him in the least. Hermione had changed out of her teaching robes into something else he figured she had magically altered and he admired the way the dress clung to her curved breasts and slim waist. While she seemed to be studying the room both of his parents seemed to be studying her.

"It was so kind of you to wait when you needn't have."

"You know the rules in this house Draco one of them is that we all eat at the same time. Another is that we are punctual for dinner. Perhaps you should be thanking Merlin that you are a grown adult who cannot be punished." Lucius' cold tone was not lost on anyone in the room and seemed to draw Hermione's attention.

"I find corporal punishment to be middle class personally, how do you feel about it Mister Malfoy?" Both Draco and his mother shared a look knowing that the young witch was treading on dangerous ground.

"To spare the rod is to spoil the child," Lucius quipped back. "I do believe that it a muggle proverb."

"It is antiquated to be fair, in fact corporal punishment has been banned in almost every way. It is rather easy for a parent to land themselves with child abuse charges; leaving a mark, especially when not on the posterior for example." Hermione had not yet lost her polite tone of voice but Draco knew that she was not in the best of moods.

After silencing his wife with a wave of his hand Lucius turned to face the curly haired witch, "Yes, I do recall you lacking a respect for tradition while you were in school. Hopefully you will come to your senses and leave your work once you are with child, after all we wouldn't want your child to be neglected; it too, is a form of child abuse."

As Hermione opened her mouth Draco clasped his hand over it, glaring at his father. "I find this offensive and I do believe I have told you before Father not to disrespect my mate. It is low class and crass." Turning his attentions to a now seething Hermione he narrowed his eyes, "And you need to stop provoking him. The past is done and there is no reason to bring it up."

Proud of her son Narcisca shot him a smile, patting her husband's arm consolingly and whispering something in his ear. Carefully Draco removed his hand from his mate's mouth giving her a look that he hoped would keep her silenced. It was another quiet meal with Narsisca trying to develop conversation every now and then. Draco observed Hermione, ensuring that she ate enough to please him and he was surprised to notice that she ate more than usual without any bidding on his part.

Their walk to his room had been quiet and now alone Draco felt the return of his hurt. Though it wasn't logical Hermione's words had struck him right where it hurt and he found it difficult to let go of her cruel words.

Once in their room he stood behind her as she brushed through her hair at the vanity table, "I've never known you to be downright cruel Hermione and I was on the deserving end of that for almost seven years." Saying nothing she continued to brush her hair slowly turning her tangled hair into silky curled locks. "I don't know what I did to deserve that either. I'm trying to do the right thing by you, to take care of you, to make sure that you are happy- and you want nothing to do with it."

"Draco you took me from the place I considered my home. You have lied to me. You have manipulated and taken advantage of me. Are you really so surprised that I finally reacted to that?" She seemed almost mechanical to him, her words devoid of all emotion.

"I know that is how you look at it, but I didn't think I had any other choice. Can we put it behind us, please? I want us to be right; we are soul mates. It shouldn't be like this." Draco paused collecting his thoughts for a moment, "We need to work on getting you better. That is what we should be focused on. I talked to Blaise today; he said that he can come here and that when that won't work we can go to his home office. Your friends would be included of course; we all want the same thing."

Hermione set her brush down and turned to face Draco. "I'm not sick Draco. Obviously, we do not want the same thing."

"We both know that is a lie. You are suffering from PSTD. That is why you are pushing our dimwitted minister to get that treatment through and that is why you spent so much time helping Blaise develop that treatment. Now it is time for you to accept help." Kneeling in front of her Draco carefully raised his hands to frame her face. "It hurts me to see you like this. I'm a veela and my mate is hurting and she won't let me help her. I just want to help you. You even admitted that you needed help to gain weight, and you have accepted it. Do you think I don't notice you dumping that potion into your first cup of tea at meals?"

"That's different. I think I would know if I had a disorder that I've been studying." For the first time all day she was looking him in the eyes willingly, one of her hands holding onto his arm subconsciously though Draco could feel the sensation in every nerve ending.

"You know Hermione, you know you have it. The war is over now and it's okay to be weak sometimes. I'll take care of you, I swear it."

"I- One meeting with Blaise. But only because you won't leave me alone about it. And if I don't like it there won't be another, deal?" Her tentative words were enough to draw a smile to his face; already she was making steps to submitting to him. She would never be tame, and he would never want her to be, but acknowledging that he was the alpha was something they both needed.

"That sounds perfect, now how about we go to bed?"

After her nod Draco gestured for her to wait while he changed into his lounge pants. Splashing his face with water he wondered how much longer he would have to sleep with clothes on. Ever since he was a fourth year he had slept nude, but with Hermione here he figured it would be best to work her up to that. Returning to their room he smirked when her eyes lingered over his sculpted chest, arms and legs before turning a light pink and darting into the bathroom.

By the time she returned he had the lights dimmed and the bed turned down, waiting for her arrival to turn the light out completely and cover them both up. He wasn't surprised that she didn't snuggle into him but was confident that she would do it later in the night. Covering her up he flicked his wand leaving them in darkness and drifting off to sleep.

()()()()()

Well I think that many of you got the show of temper you were looking for even if there was clearly a tender ending. I think that at night is the only time when they are really both at peace with each other, especially when it comes to Hermione. A lot happened this chapter as well if you didn't notice and the next chapter will have a bit of a time lapse to get us moving a little faster. Also, big news, I've got over 200 reviews for this story… I'm feeling rather cocky about it to be honest since it's my first story and there are tons of little errors in it as well. But like I've stated before there will be some major grammatical editing once this is complete. If you are one of those whom these errors annoy I look at it this way; I would rather update more quickly with good content than make my readers wait or worse give them something void of all mistakes but painfully short or lacking in content. Thank you for reading, reviewing, favoriting, and alerting; I hope that you have enjoyed this installment of I Will Have You.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17; Hermione

By now she was used to waking up wrapped around her greatest source of warmth; Draco. She loathed to admit it but she couldn't blame him for something that she choose to do, subconsciously or not. Turning her head slightly she pressed her cold nose into the firm chest she rested on, trying to ignore what the knowledge of his body did to her. She smiled when he jerked slightly at the touch, tensing when he pressed a kiss on the top of her head.

Over the last couple of days she had let him have that much. It had started as her way of apologizing for what she had said to him Tuesday in the Great Hall. Now it was Thursday and the time for waiting was coming to an end. For the most part Hermione had been able to ignore his questioning looks, but after her meeting with Blaise today she knew that she could avoid it no longer. The tug on her hair made her look up questioningly.

"You didn't pull away when you woke up. Why?" To someone else the demanding tone in Draco's voice would have brought anger out. A couple of days ago that would have applied to her.

"I don't want to get up yet, is that a problem?" The small smile on his lips made her want to punch him, they were at an impasse for the time being but she had a feeling that soon the timid peace between them would snap. "I've also decided that we should complete the bond tonight. Tomorrow is Friday and I have first and second years; if there is any lingering pain they won't notice it the way that my older students would."

Draco narrowed his eyes at her upturned face, "If you are so worried about it why don't we wait until Friday? Then you will have all weekend to 'recuperate'."

"We can't wait until Friday, it has to be tonight."

"Why?"

Hermione blushed ducking her head and searching for the best way to phrase her answer. "Because if we wait until Friday it will be too late, I- my" she paused and bit her lip, "mother nature already has plans for me starting tomorrow."

She knew the exact second when her meaning sunk in because Draco's normally pale face turned a similar pink to her own. "Why did you wait so long? What if it comes early, you know that we are on a deadline?"

"We wouldn't be on a bloody deadline if you hadn't lied to me, now would we? You ruined what tonight could have been the moment you filed those papers. You will never know if I would have chosen you for sure. I will never know if I would have really wanted this. What do we tell the children? 'Well mommy and daddy can't really tell you if we loved each other when you were conceived but we love you with all our hearts, precious. Daddy doesn't mind that he never got to pick his bride and Mommy is okay that he forced her to mate with him."

"Shut up Hermione! You don't think that I know I made a bloody fucking mess of things? I will wonder if you would have chosen me for the rest of my life. I will wonder what I would have done if you had married that wanker Ron after the war ended. Would have I torn you two apart or would I have let you have your happily ever after and simply died?" Draco pushed Hermione off of him and got out of bed, his eyes darker and movements wild. "And you will never tell our children something like that, if I ever catch you saying things like that to them I will make it so that you never see them again- mate or not.

You have fought me every step of the way on this but do not ever say that I don't love you. I think I have loved you since we were in school; there were times where I would have done anything to protect you. I had to act like I hated you because of who my parents are and because of who your friends were." Draco licked his lips, staring at Hermione's shocked face.

She wasn't sure what to think and he seemed to be waiting for her to say something. The words wouldn't come though; just when she moved to stand up he was in front of her. One of his hands was buried in her messy hair the other wrapped around her waist like the strongest, thickest rope. Unsure of what he was doing her silent question was answered when he pushed his lips against her own.

In less than a second she forgot what she was so upset about; her job, her meeting with Blaise, the bonding later that night. All that mattered was the sweet taste of Draco on her lips. With a ferocity that she could not match he had found a way into her mouth and it was all that she could do to hang onto him for dear life. Sucking and nipping on her bottom lip he drew her tongue into his own mouth so that she could taste him. The flavor of sharp mint danced over her taste buds and she was lost as he, nibbling on his lips in return and seeming to have found a fire of her own.

Just when she thought she was going to burst he pulled away breathing heavily and tugging her more fully into his arms so that he might hold her with her legs wrapped around his hips. The damp tingle between her legs and the foreign hardness pressing against her stomach told her all she needed to know about how close they had been to falling back into bed.

"We were made for each other, don't ever doubt it." Pressing one last kiss against her forehead he sat her down and swatted her bum, "Now go off and take a bath before I change my mind."

Still slightly dazed Hermione stumbled into the bathroom shutting the door behind her and wondering what she was going to do if he changed his mind and came back for her.

()()()()()

Her morning and afternoon classes had fallen into a simple routine after her students had gotten over the shock of the new teaching style. Well, for the most part; she still had to deal with the odd Slytherin who insisted that they were above mixing with those not of pure blood or some other inane claim and it took her only seconds to put them back in their place. For now she was working to put together an age appropriate segment on the war for each of her classes that would include the spells used on both sides and how many lives they had each respectively claimed. She hoped that it would help to destroy the lingering hatred and prejudices and make these students think twice about what a war would bring them.

Thankfully Draco had not showed up for lunch, she didn't think she could have handled it if he had after the events that morning and what they would be doing that evening. Halfway through lunch she did get an owl from him though;

_Hermione,_

_ I thought I would let you know a head of time that we will not be eating with my parents tonight, and that your meeting with Blaise will be held at his estate rather than the manor. Try to eat a little more; we wouldn't want you to lose what progress you have made. Don't frown at me, just do as you're told. _

_~Draco_

Noticing that some ink had leaked through on the small piece of parchment Hermione flipped it over, surprised at what she found.

_You've changed the way I see_

_Things are better than they seemed,_

_So there could never be_

_A love like you and me._

Folding up the bit of parchment she put in the pocket of her robes, her manner more flustered than before. She couldn't help but feel that Draco's words both this morning and in the small poem came a little early and wasn't sure of how to handle them. Rationally, she knew that with their history neither one of them should even want to be friends. If you factored in the fact that he was veela then she could logically explain infatuation, a want of friendship and his seemingly endless need to take care of her but love? No.

No, love was about more than genetics. It was more than a predetermined fate. It was more than fights. It was more than chemistry, though they certainly had enough of that. It was more than this.

Unable to take another sip of tea around the tightness of her throat Hermione looked at Blaise, "I guess you could say it was good." She hated the knowing look in his eyes and fiddled with the parchment in her hands some more.

"Do you mind me looking at the letter he sent you? You are awfully worked up for it to be just a letter."

Staring at the large brown skinned man she shook her head, mumbling something about it being personal.

"Okay, I can accept that. How about you tell me about your symptoms, start with your nightmares." When she would have hesitated Blaise gave her a look and the pair commenced in a short lived staring contest.

"Fine," she hissed. "They aren't always the same and I'll have you know that I haven't had a nightmare since I started teaching."

Blaise raised an eyebrow and wrote something down on a yellow legal pad that she had introduced him to months ago.

"Usually it's me and Bellatrix; sometimes at the manor, sometimes while we were in the woods. Sometimes I dream that everyone died and that it was my fault. I don't realize that they are only dreams until I wake up." Hermione licked her lips and looked down at her hands, "I almost cursed Harry once, he woke me up and I thought he was Voldemort. I wasn't even in my bed either. I was in the kitchen, there were pots and food all over the floor and I don't think there was a single cabinet I hadn't blown to smithereens; it was destroyed." Shaking her head ruefully she met his eyes, "Gin just said she had been meaning to remodel it anyway. That was when they were really bad and after that I started warding my rooms at night so I couldn't get out and hurt someone."

"Have you ever thought that maybe these dreams started going away because of Draco? He would build dreams for the two of you to share, maybe it kept them away?"

Hermione shrugged her shoulders before narrowing her eyes at him yet again. "I hope that you aren't trying to make excuses for what he did Blaise. He lied to me when he could have told me. He forced me when all he had to do was ask. I would curse him in a second if I thought I could get away with it. I can feel parts of the bond already taking root and sometimes I don't even want to argue with him over things that I ought to have just as much say as he does."

"I didn't mean it that way, just look at yourself though; you are gaining weight, and keeping it on, you can sleep through the night, you haven't cursed any of your students… You are getting better and I think we both know that he has something to do with that." Blaise stood up gracefully for such a large man and as he closed the few feet that had been between them Hermione let her head fall into her hands.

"I don't want to be dependent on him. Just by being around him I am changing. What is going to happen after we mate? I know that he isn't the same boy he was in school but he is still a selfish, demanding, spoiled prat."

"While I hope you aren't talking about me I think that it is safe to say that you are mate. Did she cooperate?"

Hermione flinched; she hadn't wanted Draco to hear her talking about him like that even if it were true. It was a low blow to talk about him like that to his best friend, especially when he was doing them both a favor. It seemed like he always brought out the worst in her and sometimes it felt like she was even behaving like him.

"It went very well but I think that you should also consider some couples counseling as well, the two of you have a lot of things to work out and-"

"No."

"See now I think that is ex-"

"I said no Blaise. Now, my mate and I need to leave we have plans." The smarmy look on Draco's face startled both Hermione and Blaise.

His attitude has taken an abrupt turn and she wasn't sure that she liked or what had brought it on.

"Come on, we need to leave Hermione." The glint in Draco's eyes eliminated whatever hesitation she might have felt and after calling a quick good bye and thanks she felt the familiar tug of apparition.

Hermione gasped when the swirling stopped and kneeled on the soft carpeted ground in front of her frantically trying to keep control of her stomach. For the most part she tried to ignore the man in front of her and the irritated snort that she could only imagine came from Lucius. The soft grunt that followed may have been from Narcissca's elbow but she wasn't certain.

"What's wrong?" The attentive words from the man who had just cowed her into submission made her snort and quickly regret as her stomach reared up again.

"I don't like apparating, and if you had waited all of two seconds I could have told you that before you whisked us off." The soothing hand on her back made her relax slightly, "You are giving me emotional whiplash."

"I wouldn't have done that if I had known, I'm sorry. We can just floo and fly from now on. I bet you would like the stars at this time of night."

"Draco, I don't like flying either; my feet are staying firmly on the ground."

Another snort from Lucius, "Some kind of witch she is."

Hermione sat up, glaring up at the pale blonde man from her spot on the floor, "Actually, I'm the brightest witch of my age and you should know better than to forget it. I never had a problem with apparating till the war was over… something about it makes me ill. Probably the fact that I could never be sure if someone was going to attack me when I landed or if they would follow me." Accepting Draco's help to stand Hermione looked at him with pleading eyes trying to show him that she just wanted to get away from his father.

"Lucius, I believe that our son has asked you to refrain from these sorts of comments entirely. Apologize."

"I am sorry Ms. Granger."

"Mean it or you can sleep by yourself tonight." Hermione smiled slightly; apparently she could learn something from Narcissca about how to handle the Malfoy men.

After Lucius's second apology the trek up to Draco's room had been relatively silent with her still holding onto his arm for added support when going up the stairs. Once in front of the door she let him cover her eyes and lead her into the room.

He had a few candles set up around the room emitting a soft scent that she couldn't quite name but reminded her of a garden. There were some petals on the floor but not the normal rose ones, these seemed to be from lilies and were white a stark difference from the emerald blankets covering the bed. She could faintly hear the tinkling of water coming from the bathroom and looked up at Draco questioningly.

"I talked to my father about what the bonding was like… he said that it tends to be very heated and animalistic the first few times. Mother suggested a warm bath to relax you and some herbs to help make it easier for a virgin, the mixture has been used by the Malfoy's since the middle ages." Licking his lips nervously he shooed her towards the bathroom but didn't follow.

Her internal debate lasted only a few seconds and Hermione grabbed his wrist, "I think that it will work better if you help me." Searching her face for any signs of hesitation Draco swept her up into his arms and carried her to the bathroom.

"I want to make this as gentle for you as possible; I want you to have something good to remember this night by."

Placing her on her feet Draco began to carefully undress her, staring at her petite frame and womanly curves. With a kiss on her forehead he deposited her into the large tub and began removing his own clothes. Unable to help herself she started to look away not sure she wanted to see all of him yet or at all. Not after what he had told her. Fingers at the base of her jaw turned her head to face him.

"It will be less scary if you look now, I'll make sure that you enjoy it Hermione. It's just not going to be what you want your first time to be." She thought that he was pleading her with his eyes to understand.

When he pulled his hand back she let herself really look at him for the first time. He was more than the Adonis that all the girls had called him in school; strong arms and a sculpted chest with the lightest smattering of hair that begged to be tugged. In the soft light of the room she could tell that while he was pale there was a golden tinge to it and that the hair on his head was a couple shades lighter. As her eyes slid lower Draco tugged his boxers lower revealing toned and sturdy legs with the same smattering of hair that was on his chest. Drawing upon her courage she looked at his manhood; already he was half erect, hinting just how large he was going to be when he was ready. Seeming to have decided that he was ready to get into the tub as well he scooted her forward and sat behind her in the water, his legs going around the outside of hers and one of his arms pulling her back to rest on his chest.

"Oh, I almost forgot. Here's a clip for your hair, the tips are already wet but this will keep the rest of it dry. Is it okay if I put it in for you?"

Nodding her assent he gathered her hair and twisted it so that it would rest on top of her head. It seemed that he had thought of everything at this point but it didn't stop her jerk of surprise when he started to rub her shoulders.

"You're tense; the point of this is to relax. I know that we are not getting along right now but I wish that you would let me do this for you. You know after our bonding we will have to have a ceremony…" When she didn't react but to sigh and lean into him as his hands relaxed her tight muscles, "Mother has already started some planning but I know that she would love to have your input in it and it is just as much about you as it is about me."

Hermione let her eyes close as she mulled over the veiled request, "I'm not very good at that stuff but I'll help, if only to ensure there is more than Slytherin green and silver in the color scheme." Draco smiled pressing a kiss onto the top of her hair and wrapping his arms around her small waist.

"I'm sure that you can come up with colors that are not house affiliated though I rather like how you look in green. It makes you look like a young hedge witch form the old days, one that was dedicated to serving the earth. You could be a reincarnation of Diana."

Before she could blush Hermione felt herself being tugged out of the warm bath water and being swept into Draco's arms. His eyes seemed a little darker and his face sharper but she wasn't sure if that was her imagination or his veela.

"It is time mate; before the night is over we will be bonded. You will be mine." His normally even tone seemed harsher and more aggressive to her ears.

As he carried her to his bed he tilted her face up to take possession of her lips, maneuvering her body in a way that she did not notice till he pulled back and she was laying on the bed caged by his body. Still gasping for breath she arched into him as his mouth drifted from her lips down the slender column of her neck, seeming to leave no part of it untouched. Threading her fingers into his hair she tensed slightly as he licked the juncture of her neck and shoulder then pinching it with his teeth before pulling back.

"That is where I will mark you; let all of them see that you are mine and that no other shall ever have you." Looking her in the eyes Draco seemed to be a man possessed and she felt a slight pang of fear of what was to come. She knew that he would mark her and he told her that it would be rough; only a woman not in her right mind would not be scared. "Don't tense mate, you will like it and someday you will mark me in return. I will take care of you tonight."

It seemed that he was not in the mood for words anymore as he crushed his firm lips into her plump ones; nipping and invading her lips. She was so involved in the kiss that she almost missed his hands grazing her sides, running up her stomach to cup her breasts in his large hands. Moving his mouth over one nipple he took it into his mouth sucking it and smirking as he drew low moans of pleasure from her. Still gasping she instinctively pushed up into Draco, one leg wraping around his hips.

She knew then that fully erect that he was large and would likely cause more than a twinge of discomfort but found that she wanted him none the less. Breathlessly she begged the man on top of her for more groaning when he nipped her in response and licking her nipple one last time before switching to her other side. When his other hand drifted down to the apex of her thighs she cursed, pushing her hips up to encourage his fingers as they teased her button of pleasure.

Pulling his head up to hers Hermione called to the gods as Draco pushed a finger into her tight entrance, "Almost ready for me mate, almost ready."

With slightly rough movements he stretched her for when he would take her, the slight pain seeming to feed her hunger for more. Once he had both of her legs around his hips he lined himself up and kissed her again to distract her from when he swiftly thrust into her breaking the last vestige of her girlhood. While he waited for the last of the pain to fade he tenderly kissed her lips.

"It will be rougher from here out mate but I promise that you will enjoy it." For the first time Hermione realized that she trusted Draco, there was a sincerity in his words that she could not doubt.

When she tentatively moved against him Draco lost his remaining control and began to thoroughly make her his, hardly noticing her own movements her hands began to run over his chest latching onto the back of his shoulders to anchor her more firmly to him. In a matter of seconds the pair began to move in tandem, touching and kissing as the world around the faded.

In a quick movement he twisted her so that she was on her hands and knees before him, never losing contact with her tight warmth. The new angle made it easier for him to pound into her and created more depth that they both appreciated. Hermione felt herself losing control and as she told him that she felt him move her hair out of his way so that he could latch onto the bit of flesh that he picked out earlier as the spot where he would mark her. Just as they both reached their peak Draco's teeth pierced her skin sending them both off into waves of pleasure.

As she clenched around her mate Hermione felt the world around her fade until there was nothing.

()()()()()

First off, this is the longest chapter I have written as I knew it would be. I hope that you have enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Things are still going to be rough for this pair and they have a long way to go. I know that a lot of you didn't want any poetry so I hope the four lines didn't bother you and you should expect that there will be more like that. Anyway, thank you for reading and reviewing and I hope the you have enjoyed this installment of I Will Have You.

relentlesslybrash


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